England striker Ollie Watkins has highlighted the importance of substitutes in the team's World Cup campaign amid challenging conditions in the United States.
Ollie Watkins scored the third goal in England's 3-0 win over Costa Rica in their final public warm-up match in Orlando. He noted that several substitutes, including Eberechi Eze, Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Morgan Rogers, helped raise the tempo as opponents tired.
Watkins said the heat in the United States will make squad depth vital. "Even from the bench you can feel how hot it is," he said. "The game tends to open up after 60 or 70 minutes and that’s where fresh legs can really make a difference."
England manager Thomas Tuchel is expected to rotate the squad during the tournament. The team will next play a behind-closed-doors match against Miami FC before heading to Kansas City after a short break.
Watkins added that the squad has worked hard in training sessions and meetings since arriving in the United States.
