Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins is hoping to guide his team into their first European final in 44 years, with his wife Ellie providing unwavering support from the stands.
Europa League Semi-Final
Unai Emery's Villa side have reached the Europa League semi-finals but face an uphill battle after losing 1-0 to fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest in the first leg at the City Ground. Chris Wood's penalty gave Forest the advantage. With the second leg at Villa Park, Watkins and his teammates are determined to overturn the deficit and secure a place in the final in Istanbul. The winner will face either Braga or Freiburg.
Relationship Timeline
Watkins first met Ellie eight years ago while playing for Brentford in the Championship. They were introduced through mutual friends, as revealed on Amazon Prime's The New Generation. Ellie, a qualified interior designer, also sells second-hand designer clothing online. The couple have been together for nearly a decade and have two children: daughter Amara May, born in 2021, and son Marley, born two years later.
Fatherhood and Career
Speaking to The Gentleman's Journal, Watkins said fatherhood has given him a different outlook on life: "When I come home to them, I'm not thinking about my bad game. I'm just thinking about making them happy. They give me the energy to perform."
Engagement and Wedding
In July 2024, during a romantic break at Lake Como, Watkins proposed. He told British Vogue he planned it during Euro 2024 while away with the national team. Less than a year later, the couple married at Old Marylebone Town Hall in London, followed by a grand celebration in the south of France. The three-day event included venues such as the Grand-Hotel du Cap Ferrat, Villa et Jardins Ephrussi de Rothschild, and Plage de Passable, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Around 100 guests attended. Watkins said he was so focused on his wife that he couldn't hear the pastor, while Ellie said she felt completely relaxed despite her usual emotional nature.
As Watkins prepares for the crucial second leg, Ellie will undoubtedly be cheering him on, just as she did during Euro 2024.
