Former England defender Gareth Southgate feels the whole of the nation should embrace a Team GB football team.
The make-up of Stuart Pearce and Hope Powell's squads for the summer continues to be a thorny issue, with all of the other Home Nations fearing if any of their players do take part it will harm the associations' individual status within world governing body FIFA.
However, Southgate - capped 57 times by England and part of the squad which reached the semi-finals of Euro 96 - believes the competition should be given the respect it deserves.
"It is a great opportunity for young players to get tournament experience," Southgate told Press Association Sport at Thursday's launch of the Carling Pub Cup in London.
"England may have some who have been in Under-21 tournaments before, but the likelihood is if you look at the top Welsh, Irish and Scottish players, then they have not played in major tournaments.
"For them, it will be a great experience to be around the other sports.
"For everyone involved, it is a shame we have never embraced it and taken a team in before.
"It has always been something which other countries have taken really seriously, which is the same for all the other junior international tournaments.
"All the other top players in the world - like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Xavi - have played in either Under-20 World Cups, or the Olympics.
"It is something now which we have to do."