The England manager is again expected to name a young-looking side against the five-time World Cup winners led by Neymar, the world’s most expensive player.
And he has said he will not look kindly on players clamouring for a memento as it is securing their own shirt they should be focused on.
“I used to talk to young players about this at Middlesbrough,” he said. “I remember young David Wheater: I hauled him over the coals because he bowled off with Thierry Henry’s shirt after a game against Arsenal.
“I said, ‘Right, okay, where do you think that leaves you when you play him again next time? Because you were waiting to get his shirt, it’s given him a sense of, ‘Oh, okay, you’re just a young one’. You are either going toe-to-toe with these guys or we are just here for the tour’.
“I’ve got a wardrobe full of shirts at home and I think they’re all full-backs because it wasn’t high on my list of priorities to go and swap.
“By the way, there are a load of full-backs saying, ‘I’ve got f***ing Gareth Southgate’s shirt’, so I accept that works both ways!
“But I’m not sitting here saying, ‘How wonderful we are playing Brazil and what a great experience for me’. It’s, ‘How do we set the team up to be successful and make sure we are well prepared?’”
Eric Dier will again lead the side out despite the return to fitness of Gary Cahill and the presence once again of Joe Hart in goal. But Southgate has no fears about sticking with a number of young players around them, including Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Friday’s man of the match.
“These young players have also had experience of winning youth tournaments and overcoming challenges to get to where they are in their path,” Southgate said. “We’d love to have a team full of players who have won the Champions League but we haven’t got that.
“But I want players who will be fearless, prepared to have the ball and show what they are capable of on the biggest stage.”
