Roy Hodgson hopes England players will have enough “faith in ourselves” to not focus on Mario Balotelli or Luis Suarez.
The Three Lions will face Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica in the group phase of the World Cup next month.
“I think it would be a big mistake to get hung up on any individual player no matter how much you respect their ability,” warned Hodgson.
Roy Hodgson hopes England players will have enough “faith in ourselves” to not focus on Mario Balotelli or Luis Suarez.
The Three Lions will face Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica in the group phase of the World Cup next month.
“I think it would be a big mistake to get hung up on any individual player no matter how much you respect their ability,” warned Hodgson.
“In our team talk we will focus on Uruguay as a team, the way they play, the way they attack and defend, it won’t be all about just ‘Suarez, Suarez, Suarez'.
“I expect our players when they go out against Uruguay to deal with Luis Suarez as if they were meeting him in a club competition.
“Our two centre-halves, Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka, have played against him many times. They know his strengths.
“If we are going to deal with any great player at the World Cup we will have to be well organised as a team.
“I would be very worried if we have so little faith in ourselves that when we are going to play Italy or Uruguay it’s all about Mario Balotelli this, or Suarez that.
“I would like to think our players are thinking ‘We are good too’.”
Suarez has been a sensation for Liverpool this season, but Hodgson hopes he won’t be quite so impressive for Uruguay.
“He’s an exceptional player, with exceptional ability. But he’s not alone. He won’t have at Uruguay the same players he has around him at Liverpool. So who knows? Maybe he’s less effective with Uruguay than for Liverpool.”