Like a quarterback in American football or a fly half in rugby, Francesc Fàbregas’s role on the pitch is one that requires a combination of technical ability, vision and leadership. Because the latter two qualities are generally refined with age, it is especially remarkable that, as a teenager, he manages such a role with aplomb.

“To have good vision, you need first of all the right kind of teammates,” he says. “In the role I play, everything has to happen quickly. So if I receive the ball perfectly, I can then pass it immediately. Of course, it depends on where I need to receive it at that specific moment . . . sometimes it will be in front of me, sometimes to my left foot, sometimes to my right.

“And then, of course, it helps if I know where my teammates are going to be without needing to look up. That allows me to release the ball quicker and it helps surprise the opposition. So it’s essential to have teammates who make the right runs at the right time and also who deliver the ball the right way at the right moment. In that sense, I’m fortunate that my Arsenal teammates make it easier for me.”

Of course, then you have to decide what to do. “When I play with [Thierry] Henry, he’s always showing and demanding the ball, so I look for him first,” Fàbregas says. “But that doesn’t mean he’s the best option. Others might be better placed. So you have to think about that. And, of course, you have to consider what they are likely to do once you’ve given them the ball. [Theo] Walcott or [Fredrik] Ljungberg might stay wide and run at defenders. [Alexander] Hleb or [Tomas] Rosicky might come inside and look for a return pass. All those things run through your mind in a split second.”

Then there’s the leadership side. Many star players might not appreciate a teenager ordering them around the pitch. “Well, yes, I could think that Gilberto [Silva] won a World Cup and I won nothing so who am I to give him advice?” Fàbregas says. “But in fact, we have the kind of relationship where we’re equals and we talk openly. If I have to tell him something, I’ll do it and he accepts it and vice versa. Even Henry, who is our captain and one of the best players in the world, urges us to speak up. So I do. And I appreciate the fact that my teammates listen to me, just as I listen to them.”

Odds are, they’ll be listening to Fàbregas for years to come.