We have got

justified his inclusion with a man-of-the-match display.

Such talent could well be the tip of the iceberg given the unparalleled success of England’s development teams this year, winning the Under 17 and Under 20 World Cups as well as the Under 19 European Championship.

“My experiences are that the best players want to be here,” England boss Southgate said.

“The best players are the best players because they have that hunger and desire to test themselves on the biggest of stages, and with that comes certain pressures and a huge challenge.

“But also we want it to be fun for them. If they play with the ball like they did against Germany, they will enjoy it.

“We’ve got to give them belief and we have got to give them time, whether it is me that benefits from that or the next manager.

“The reason I was given the job was that I have an understanding of what is coming through. We’ve looked at what Germany have done over a period of time and want to establish a pathway for our young players.

“If we do that, the technical type of player that is coming through our system now and the athletic profile we have got could be really exciting.”

Southgate, whose side face Brazil tomorrow night, has played a key role over the years in the Football Association’s analysis of what makes other countries successful.

Success at youth level has been key for the likes of Spain and Germany, so too the continuity that comes with players progressing through the levels.

Loftus-Cheek fits that mould, having risen through the development ranks, with Southgate first seeing the midfielder in an Under 16 international.