From England snub to scoring sensation - Ollie Watkins proves critics wrong with blistering form that's got Harry Kane looking over his shoulder.
Just two months ago, Ollie Watkins was persona non grata for England, left out in the cold while critics questioned his international credentials. Fast forward to today, and the Aston Villa striker is making those doubters eat their words with a scoring streak that has even captain Harry Kane in his rearview mirror.
The numbers don't lie - Watkins has been absolutely ruthless in front of goal, combining pace, precision, and that killer instinct that separates good strikers from great ones. While Kane battles through a relatively quiet spell, Watkins has seized his moment with both hands, terrorizing Premier League defenses week after week.
This kind of dramatic turnaround echoes the resilience we've seen from African stars across Europe's top leagues. Players like Victor Osimhen and Sadio Mané have shown time and again that form is temporary but class is permanent. Watkins' journey from the Championship to Premier League stardom mirrors the path many African talents take - using rejection as fuel to reach even greater heights.
With the European Championships looming, Gareth Southgate now faces a delicious dilemma. Can he really ignore a striker in red-hot form? Watkins has transformed from afterthought to essential, proving that in football, as in life, it's not about how you start - it's about how you finish.