Inside Ollie Watkins' lush life with gorgeous wife as Aston Villa star eyes European glory

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Ollie Watkins is hoping to fire Aston Villa into their first European final in 44 years. And cheering him on from the stands will be his stunning wife Ellie.

Unai Emery's Villa side have navigated their way into the Europa League semi-finals, but currently face an uphill battle after falling 1-0 behind in their tie against fellow Premier League outfit Nottingham Forest . In the first leg at the City Ground, a Chris Wood penalty handed Forest the advantage .

With the second leg now upon us , Villa, spearheaded by England ace Watkins, will be desperate to overturn the deficit and see off their Midlands rivals at Villa Park to secure a place in the final. The showpiece event will take place in Istanbul, with either Braga or Freiburg set to face one of the two English clubs.

Standing firmly in Watkins' corner is partner Ellie, who has been by his side since 2018 and became his wife last May . Mirror Sport take a closer look at their relationship .

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Watkins first laid eyes on Ellie eight years ago when he was plying his trade in the Championship for Brentford. The pair were introduced through mutual friends, as revealed on Amazon Prime's The New Generation .

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Ellie told her husband on the show: "We met through one of my friends who went to school with you. So I knew like about you. But I didn't know that you were actually good!" Watkins then added: "We then went on a double date didn't we? Pizza Express or something. In your Converses and leather jacket." Ellie replied: "You wouldn't leave me alone!"

The 29-year-old is a qualified interior designer who graduated with a diploma in her field. She also sells second-hand designer clothing online and shares glimpses of her life on Instagram . The couple have been together for nearly a decade and welcomed their first child, baby girl Amara May, in 2021, with son Marley arriving two years later.

Opening up to The Gentleman's Journal about fatherhood, Watkins, 30, said: "It's given me a different outlook on life. When I come home to them, I'm not thinking about my bad game or anything like that. I'm just thinking about making them happy, doing what I can to be a good dad. They give me the energy I need to go and perform. They're definitely a big key to my success."

In July 2024, during a romantic break at Lake Como, Watkins got down on one knee. He told British Vogue : "It was during the Euros when I started to plan it.

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"I was away with the national team and I knew I only had a short period of time. I was trying not to be too organised because I didn't want to give it away!" Ellie added: "I was like, 'This is so strange.' [Ollie] does not organise. He doesn't even know what day of the week it is half the time."

Less than a year later, the pair exchanged vows in a stunning ceremony at Old Marylebone Town Hall in London, followed by a grander celebration in the south of France in mid-June.

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The couple selected three breathtaking venues for their extravagant long weekend celebrations, attended by around 100 guests comprising close friends and family: The Grand-Hotel du Cap Ferrat, Villa et Jardins Ephrussi de Rothschild and Plage de Passable, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

"To be honest with you, I couldn't hear a word the pastor was saying because I was so focused on my wife and how beautiful she looked," Ollie confessed, while Ellie revealed: "I'm a really emotional person and cry over almost anything, but something came over me and I was completely relaxed."

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