As first impressions go, it was the kind you might like to forget. The first
time Francesc Fàbregas set foot in Highbury, in September 2003, he watched
his new club get blown away by Inter Milan. He had signed that summer but
missed much of the preseason while leading Spain to the final of the Under17
World Cup in Finland, where he was crowned the tournament’s best player and
was the leading scorer.
As he watched the horror show unfold — Arsenal were 3-0 down by half-time —
what thoughts ran through his mind? Was there at least a silver lining in
the fact that Arsenal’s much-vaunted World Cup-winning midfield pairing —
Patrick Vieira and Gilberto Silva — were so thoroughly outplayed that
Fàbregas, despite his 16 years of age, believed he might get a shot at the
first team sooner rather than later?
Not at all. “I certainly wasn’t thinking about it,” he says. “I knew they were
great players, but I also never really thought of the first team at that
point. I mean, I was there to play for the youth team, I never imagined I
would have to worry about the first team’s midfield, let alone those two. I
was 16 years old . . . normally players get a chance when they turn 22 or
thereabouts. I thought it would be the same for me. I certainly did not
imagine that, in less than a year, I’d be playing regularly alongside them.”
Of course, when it comes to developing youth players and launching them in the
first team, Arsenal are hardly a “normal” club. Yet off the pitch his first
year was no different from that of any other 16-year-old who lands at a top
Premiership side with a duffel bag, a pair of boots and a heart full of hope.
Fàbregas lived in a bedsit in Barnet, Hertfordshire, run by a woman who looks
after young players on behalf of the club. It was comfortable, but spartan,
miles away from the “Footballers’ Pads” image.
“I had a stereo, some clothes, a computer, a tiny television which was hooked
up to my PlayStation. In fact, it was so small I think I nearly went blind
playing on it,” he says. “Philippe Senderos was there, too, though he had a
much bigger room.”
At first, as with most things, everything seemed shiny, exciting and new. By
the time winter set in, however, things began to change somewhat. “After
four to six months it became tough,” he says. “Every day, the same routine,
the same things. When I wasn’t training or going to my English lessons, I’d
spend all day in my room, staring at the computer, not knowing what to do
with myself. It was incredibly boring. And weekends were no better. The
reserves played during the week, so on Saturday and Sunday, because I had no
friends, I would just sit there.”
Little by little, he found things to do, usually with Senderos in tow. The
shops of Barnet High Street — Block-buster in particular — became a welcome
distraction. And occasionally, they would hop on the Tube into town, making
a beeline for Niketown and Selfridges on Oxford Street. Standard teenage
fare, albeit a world away from his friends back in Barcelona.
“I’d think about my friends back home, who were out clubbing and having a good
time and there I was, all by myself, in front of the computer, wondering
what the hell I was doing,” he says. “It was tough, but it was a choice I
had made.
“Now, it’s different. My girlfriend is here studying, we’re more settled, we
have a wide range of friends and interests. And I think most of all, I like
doing different things now that I’m older.”
There is no trace of irony in Fàbregas’s expression as he describes himself as
being “older”. When he speaks, he exudes a maturity and a confidence well
beyond his years and you have to remind yourself constantly that he will not
turn 20 until May.
He lives in a flat just inside the M25, down the street from Gilberto. Filling
his free time is no problem these days. The internet and a Spanish satellite
dish provide an umbilical cord back to Spain — “I guess if they didn’t exist
I’d just be reading books and playing cards all day” — and he has developed
a taste for British contemporary culture.
“ Little Britain is the best,” he says, reminding you that,
perhaps, he really is 19 years old. “Did you know Matt Lucas is an Arsenal
fan? They tell me he’s a regular at our matches, though I’ve never met him.
That guy is so funny. And my girlfriend and I also love watching WAGS
Boutique. We stumbled upon it one night and now we’re hooked.”
For all his consumption of television, video games and the web, one activity
takes up most of his time: sleep. “I love it, I’ll sleep 9½ hours a night on
average, and maybe up to 11 hours the night before a game,” he says. “I’d be
tempted to take a nap between our pre-game meal and our warm-up, but then I
might not wake up.”
So much for the stereotypes of young men with fat wallets and overstimulated
libidos partying until dawn five nights a week. It is easy to see why Arséne
Wenger puts so much faith in Fàbregas and his maturity and professionalism.
“From day one, Wenger spoke to me only in English, though he does speak some
Spanish,” he says. “It may have been a bit rough initially, but it helped me
settle and fit in. Wenger likes to have a personal relationship with each of
us. He occasionally talks to the team as a group, but in general he likes to
take us aside, one by one, and speak to us individually.”
Others have shaped his path. One was Lauren, who showed him the benefits of
doing extra training on his own and the tricks an older player uses to coax
as much as possible from his body. Another was Vieira, the man he replaced
in the heart of the Arsenal midfield. “I remember one day I played alongside
him and I had an absolute stinker,” Fàbregas says. “It was a horror show, I
was giving the ball away, I wasn’t getting involved. After the game I was
upset and I think everybody knew just how down I was on the bus ride home.
Vieira came up to me and I’ll never forget his words.
“He said that I was 17 years old and would have at least another 15 seasons as
a professional and, most likely, I would have many other really bad games
ahead of me. He said that it was impossible to perform at 100 per cent every
match and that those outside football who demanded it did not understand the
game. He said that what mattered was giving 100 per cent, knowing that you
might not get 100 per cent back from your performance. And that I shouldn’t
worry and beat myself up over it, but continue working hard.
“His words had a massive impact on me, not least because he was my captain and
a guy who played in my position on the pitch.”
Vieira, of course, had been a teenage phenomenon himself. When he arrived at
AC Milan in 1995 the side’s midfield featured the likes of Marcel Desailly
and Demetrio Albertini. Perhaps, just as they had passed their trade secrets
on to him, he was now handing the baton to Fàbregas.
As it happened, the two would meet — master versus apprentice — in the 2005-06
season, when Vieira’s Juventus visited Highbury in the quarter-finals of the
Champions League. A few minutes into the match, Fàbregas caught Vieira with
a scything tackle in midfield, a clash that showed that Arsenal’s midfield
had a new general.
“The truth is that someone, I won’t say who, told me to go in hard and show
Vieira that I was not going to be intimidated by him,” he says. “He was and
remains one of my heroes, but, on the pitch, it was going to be all
business. The tackle may have had that effect, but I can honestly say I
would have done it anyway; it could have been Emerson, instead of Vieira, on
the receiving end. The fact is that we were caught out by their
counter-attack and they needed to be stopped. Besides, I’m not the kind of
guy who plays the hard man in midfield. I mean, look at me . . . if I were
built like Júlio Baptista, maybe I could get away with it, but with this
body . . . ”
And yet “that body” has shown that it is not afraid to mix it, just ask Messrs
Sheringham and Lampard.
“Gilberto says that he always has to come and defend me, but he’s a big liar,”
Fàbregas jokes. “The truth is that I’ve learnt to take care of myself.
A season or two ago I was perhaps a bit more lightweight and maybe some
opponents took some liberties with me. Now I think I’m tougher and I need to
be, because given the way we play now and the way our opponents play, I have
a lot less space than before. Usually there’s a guy on me from the very
first minute, so I had to stiffen up.”
As a skilful player, being able to withstand physical punishment is a
necessary skill. Yet what about the mental wear and tear? Does the burden of
being the midfield leader as a teenager ever get to him? “I can’t say I’ve
ever been afraid on the pitch, no, but I have had nerves,” he says. “I was
extremely nervous, for example, before we played Real Madrid at the Bernabéu
last year. But then, the moment I stepped on the pitch, it all went away. I
think you have to learn to channel those nerves.”
According to reports in the Spanish press yesterday, Real would like to make
the Bernabéu Fàbregas’s new home, but the player maintains he is happy at
Arsenal. Besides, he has already had to get used to one new ground this
year, but is grateful that he had a chance to experience Highbury before the
move to the Emirates Stadium.
“The new ground is different, you notice immediately for example that the
pitch is bigger,” he says. “At Highbury everything was so small, so close,
you could hear everything. I would get goosebumps hearing the fans sing
about Vieira or Thierry Henry. The new ground isn’t like that, not yet, and
it’s normal that it will take some time. Highbury is full of memories,
including the first time I heard the fans singing my name.”
Well, it wasn’t really his name, was it? “Yes, that’s another thing,” he says
with a smile. “We were beating Blackburn, 3-0, I had scored a goal and the
manager substituted me with five minutes to go. I heard everyone singing
‘Fàbregas, Fàbregas’ and, for a minute, it sounded weird. What were they on about?
I’ve always been Cesc, Fàbregas is my dad. Then, I realised what was going
on and it was wonderful.”
Fàbregas’s old room now belongs to another gifted young midfield player, a few
months removed from Barcelona’s youth academy. As he emerges from his room
late one winter afternoon — shoeless, hair dishevelled, half-asleep — Fran
Merida looks like any teenager might after a few months away from parental
supervision. He is where Fàbregas was, facing the same bewildering blend of
language, homesickness and long, boring days between training sessions.
The expression on Fàbregas’s face says it all: that was him three years ago.
Actually I daresay you're right, Hector Castro, especially considering Messi's current form (sorry Cesc!). I'm a huge fan of Messi as well, he was amazing against Real Madrid. And him and Cesc are nearly the same age too.
Lucy, Melbourne,
As an Arsenal fan and a fellow Spaniard I love Fabregas, I think he is quite possibly a future world player of the year but at this stage I would put him slightly behind Messi at Barcelona. Fabregas is an amazing player and his ability to move the ball around and deliver the killer pass is second to none in the world but Messi has all of this and the ability to take a defence to the cleaners all on his own! It's funny that they were both at The Barca academy together and seem to be nipping at each other's heels!
Hector Castro, London ,
Keep an eye on Fran Merida as well, slowly rising up through the Arsenal ranks. He was actually going to start the first match against Liverpool last year in the Carling Cup, the one that was cancelled from the fog, but wasn't picked again for the replay. Fran and Cesc (ha, Francesc!), definitely the two players to watch.
Lucy, Melbourne,
Cesc is simply amazing, future World Player of the Year. Fantasic playmaker, his technical skill and ball control is superb. Most definitely the best young player at the moment after Cristiano Ronaldo, but remember Cesc is two years younger than Cristiano as well. Aragones is extremely dim for not playing him in Spain's last matches. Hope he scores soon, if only for a confidence boost. Maybe against Liverpool this Sunday. Keep up the good work Cesc!!
Lucy, Melbourne,
As a neutral viewer of both the Premiership and La Liga, Cesc definatley looks to be the better of Inista and Xavi. Considering all 3 made it to CL final and Cesc was voted into the UEFA team along with Henry, Puyol, Ronnie, and Eto'o . . . most fans would agree. If a poll was taken between top Managers in Spain and England, most managers would probably choose Cesc over the 2 Barca middle men. When you take his age into account and realise he is not the finished article yet, Wenger must be laughing! Guti is no where in the same class as the 3 Catalans mentioned!
D-holio, Vancouver, Canada
Iniesta and Xavi are A LOT BETTER than Cesc. I thought that was a generally accepted notion. Maybe you'll get to see both playing together when they visit Anfield next week. If they play together, you'll see what I mean. Midfielders can´t get any better than those two.
Jindamita, Madrid, Sapin
I'm Spanish and Cesc is good but he doesn't seem to show the same hunger with the national team that he does at Arsenal. Unless he comes back to Spain, Aragones should drop him I would rather see Andries Iniesta or Ruben De la Red given a chance they seem to be far more keener to play for Spain.
Juan, Valencia, Spain
Ronaldo, doesn't score much? Um... hasn't he scored 16 goals in the league this year?
Dave, London,
Lucas,
You should try to watch some Arsenal games, he is the dominant player for about 60% of our matches. An outstanding player. Unlike Iniesta and Guti he is not in there solely to score goals (I agree - it's a good thing he isn't as his record in that department is terrible). He's also come up against most of the outstanding central midfielders of the last few years - Vieira, Emerson, Zidane, Keane, Davids (albeit when he was past it), Ballack etc etc - and won many battles with them. He is 19, he will get even better.
Ben, LOndon,
Fabregas, who he?
Starling, Lancaster,
Fabregas is way overrated. Being Spanish myself, I don't know why he's considered over Xavi, Iniesta, Guti or other similar players. They're all the same: overrated, score only once in a blue moon, and unable to lead a team.
Lucas, Gramanet, Spain
Fabregas is not the complete player yet but who is at 19. However, there's no doubt if he keeps progressing as he is he will certainly be a true great. The most complete young footballer the premiership has seen in a while if not ever.
Ronan, dublin, ireland
I think that Cesc and the young guns have proven how good the up and coming footballers are going to be, to beat the teams they did, get to the final and show they can out play top clubs is such an amazeing achievement. Wenger made the right decision and the young guns did us all very very proud, we come home with our heads high and a bright future ahead!
Danielle, Nazeing, Essex
Pete, Cov,
" When Henry went to Arsenal, he was a nobody. "
Some nobody was already a World cup winner and maybe even France's top scorer in that World cup(??) before he even signed at Arsenal from Juventus. Mind you it was wenger that made him a winger at Monaco.
Wenger should be praised for getting them to CL final with such an poor/inexperienced defence.
Ross, Brighton - you are right in a certain sense. But when everything is someone else's fault. I've seen this ruin players with exceptional talent. Sometimes you need tough love.
Terry, london,
No not a Chelsea fan - an admirer of spin though - and Arsenal are the best. I will also Fabregas is probably one of the best midfielders around - saying alot for a teenager.
But he is a product of Barca's youth system not Arsenal's. Also it is a legal loophole otherwise Barca would have signed him. Its an EU issue which must be closed.
Henry - CL final (Likewise his Puyol incident in WCup). QED of embarrassing comments covered by a great spin machine afterwards. - all positively spined.
"Fabregas only got involved to stop the brawl and accidentally ended up pulling Lampard by the neck" :-). Your honour I only accidently shot the man..
Anyway I'm off to see Wenger get his sainthood - he is due in the next hour to appear before the pontiff.
terry, london,
Cesc is a pure joy to watch and Wenger has shown he is every inch the alchemist again. When compared to others abilities it is interesting; the self proclaimed genius of Mourinho has turned the explosive abilities of Wright-Phillips into a spectator, "felicitações" Jose. Just wait for Merida to comlete the same process, if you dont believe me type his name into You-tube. Now do you see what I mean?
Roger Obermaier, Leicester, Leic's
He's an exceptional talent at the moment and can one day be among the greats, but that is a shocking jacket he's got on in that picture.
Dr. S. McGee, Liverpool,
Arsene Wenger seems to be what Alex Ferguson was 10-15 years ago. The kind of manager that can spot and transform raw talent into polished world-beaters. When Henry went to Arsenal, he was a nobody.
Now he has already turned Fabregas into a world class player that most would pick over the overrated Cristiano Ronaldo (doesnt score much, no vision, only simple passes, dives, selfish).
Theo Walcott made the right choice. I can see him maturing into a striker to be reckoned with. Shaun Wright Phillips made the wrong choice.
Pete, Cov,
Terry, you must still be delirious after Abou turned your lights off on Sunday.
Fabregas is a kid who still needs to learn. His temper isnt a patch on Vieira's when he first arrived but all the best players in that central midfield role has to have ridiculously high belief in themselves and to be the best you need to be a terrible loser. Steven Gerrard is no doubt the same but has learned to channel it through his years of experience. No doubt it will be the same for Cesc and barring injuries, he should be a star for many years to come.
Gary, High Wycombe, Bucks
Are you John Terry and haven't yet recovered from Sunday yet? because saying that a team should worry about a young player growing up under Wegner is truly a comment from someone with a brain injury. The best example of what Wegner can do is Thiery Henry transformed from a winger in to one of the and probably the best striker in the world and then there is Ces, already one of the worlds best midfielders. Compare that to Chelsea where any young player that goes there does so for the money Wright-Phillips once a promising prospect for England now lucky to get a game!
Mark, Aylesbury, Bucks
It's not simply to do with a loophole. He'd have a chance of playing for the reserves with us, something that wouldn't have happened for a long time at Barcelona. Rocketing into the first team wasn't something anyone anticipated, but it's possible at Arsenal where there isn't the money or inclination to splash out megabucks on established stars.
You're not a Chelsea fan, are you Terry? If so, I've got three words about costing on the international stage - Shaun Wright Phillips.
And having no discipline or strength or character under our coach? Let your lot go a season unbeaten, and come back to me on that.
Finsbury Parker, Islington, London
Nice to see fans from every other club in the world are getting even more jealous of Fabregas...
I am sure Wenger will teach this amazing group of youngsters all the dicipline and strength of character they will need to once again go a whole season unbeaten!
paul, London,
Cesc is absolute class, good if he's up for a ruck, Arsenal supporters never doubted his willingness to fight for the team.
Firmly in the top 5 midfielders in the Premiership, on his day the best, consistantly class and only 19!!!!
With him in middle and the other young stars rising around Arsenal are in very good shape indeed.
Hopefully he will stay at Arsenal for the rest of his career and write his legendary status into the history books in BIG BOLD TYPE.
Peter, London, Islington
I'd certainly disagree with you Terry. I think working under Wenger can only be of benefit to him. Discipline and strengh of character come from within, they are not taught.
Ross, Brighton,
Terry, I suppose you're a Chelsea fan. FYI, Fabregas only got involved to stop the brawl and accidentally ended up pulling Lampard by the neck. He wasn't the troublemaker, hell he didn't even start the brawl, it was Toure and Bridge, got to YouTube and watch the replays then come and comment. He is actually one of the disciplined players in the team.
Jessie, Reading , UK
Spin machine? So Man U, Chelsea and Liverpool don't use spin? Don't be so naive. Kenyon's statements must comprable the Bush administration on that premise.
You think Fabregas would have played @ such a young age for in CMF for Barcelona? Highly unlikely. There are very few managers in Europe who give youth a chance. Ferguson and Wenger fit that criteria. Mourinho has never been that and may never be. Functional but not fun.
What was instrumental to the brawl was Obi-Mikel's cynical challenge on Toure. Fatty Lampard didn't cover his considerable self in any glory either.
You may not like Wenger, but my word he's brought the best football these Sceptred Isles have ever seen. The internaional stage sucks big time. The only good thing about it these days is that it keeps football on the telly during the summer.
Mike, London,
Few points of order here-
While I will admit that Arsenal were as much at fault for the scuffle- let's be honest, it wasn't much of a brawl-surely the Chelsea team of experienced professionals have a part to play in not acting like teenagers. Cesc at least has the excuse that he is a teenager.
A bit of football is not enough to control games in the way that Cesc is doing. He has continuously shown discipline and strength of character in rallying the troops in the all too often struggles to come back from one down.
It's frustrating for any player to come up against a team that refuses to play football as Blackburn did. A clever tactic to be sure but Hughes should cop on and shut up whining like he's a teenager himself. "Cesc was mean to me, I deserve respect." For what Mark?
Cesc seems to be doing okay on the international stage too. He made a joke of the "experienced" England midfield if I remeber correctly.
Emma, Ireland,
Terry, london - get over yourself, why have arsenal been top of the fair play league for the last couple of seasons, is that indiscipline? whilst is was inexcusable behaviour, Fat frank was no better going for toure, cesc was pulling him away, and who was screaming first when terry went down...cesc was....
who started the brawl it was toure...
Raj, Bickley, Kent
Spin? Which part in this artitcle was spinning on Cesc?
Talking about conduct. Lampard, Terry, Owen -- gambling. Morris -- alleged rape. Wise - bully. Wodgate & Smith -- attacking Asians in city centre. Rio - test evasion. Lack of strength of character in Europe? Are you talking about ManUtd last season?
Joey, Leicester,
You're not envious of the marvellous tutelage that Arsene hands out to his squad, are you Terry? What nonsense to suggest that Cesc has no discipline or strength of character! The article illustrates clearly that he has it in abundance. You should let the Spanish worry about their loop holes, and show some appreciation to Wenger for bringing such a talent to the Premiership.
Farhan, London,
How can it be Arsenal's spin machine?? This is Gabrielle Marcotti giving his own interview with Fabregas on his own, Arsenal aren't denying they're part in the brawl.
As for Fabregas, he seems like a down to earth young man who just wants to play football, if only some of our young players could be like him
Alex, Worthing,
Hmm, Tottenham or Chelsea fan Terry?
Dan, Guildford,
Terry,
More like Cesc was instrumental in moving the disciplined/strong character that is Lampard away from the 'brawl'. Also what was so wrong about saying to Hughes that his team doesnt' play Barcelona style football, it is 100% true after all, and even then Cesc waited for an hour to apologise face to face. It's more than a bit silly to say that Wenger produces players without character which costs you on the international stage. On that basis every english player lacks strength of character, because they always bottle it in international competition, menawhile Viera/Henry/Gilberto/Pires/Wiltord all somehow have winners medals from international competition.
Dave, London,
Wow, great response there, Terry; because Fabregas is obviously devoid of such 'character' you speak of. I bet he was cursing Wenger during the summer, his first World Cup at the age of 19.
Will, London,
Cesc is a great footballer and will be a legend in the future. The talent he shows on the pitch at 19 is more than most footballers have at 28, he is almost as effcient as scholes and will one day be better.
The one thing which he has added to his game this season is his physicality, he is now becoming a man and this aggression is what has been missed from an arsenal side which had a reputation of a soft centre.
Bring on the future!!
Juwon, London, UK
Sounds like Terry from London is a tad bitter. Arsene Knows!
Matt, London,
Terry, what nonesense.
Does Vieira lack 'Strength of Character' ?
I'd argue that Fabregas has already shown both those qualities you name in abundance. Also, given that he's already shone on the international stage at the world cup, and was praised by Maradona no less, as a great talent, why would you think he wont be able to hack it??
Jack, Bristol,
What appalling comments above for such a great player. Fabregas is an aggressive thug? Arsenal are thieves? And Wenger is an ill-disciplined coward? Get over yourselves. Look at the football that Arsenal's youth / reserve team played on Sunday.
No wonder England consistently under-perform in major tournaments if you don't value such football.
Adam, Dublin, Ireland
Once again it seems that we've found another person who can't control their jealousy (Terry, London).
Cesc is one of the most exciting prospects I've seen and above that he seems to have kept his feet squarely on the ground. It's a breath of fresh air to see.
And to blame him for the fracas on sunday is extremely narrow minded. If Frank Lumpard (no that's not a spelling mistake) hadn't have waded in while Cesc was trying to pull Kolo away then things will have settled down a lot sooner.
Richard, London,
Oh please. Fabregas joined Arsenal because he wanted to join Arsenal. He could quite easily have stayed at Barcelona, the team he and his family have always supported (which make the rumours about Madrid all the more ridiculous) but he wanted to come to Arsenal because he and his father had the foresight to know that it was the best thing to do for his career. I'm not sure how leaving your family and friends at home in pursuit of your footballing ambitions shows a lack in strength of character. He hardly looked out of place at last years World Cup or Champions League and he will only get stronger.
Steve, London,
It sounds like Terry from London has been eating too many sour grapes!
I don't believe there is a Team in the Premier league that wouldn't want to have Cesc in there team.
At 19 years old he does have a lot to learn, but he knows that and by the age of 24 he may be the best Mid-field player in Europe, who knows.
Wayne Rooney is more volatile the Cesc and not to much is made of that, why is that do you reckon?
Cesc has done great things with Arsenal and long may he carry on doing so.
John, London,
Terry, london
get a life!
Fabregas is one of the awseome new generation midfielders coming through the Arsenal ranks, and their attitude to being a proffesional on and off the field is to be admired unlike some many other young and older players in the premiership.
Jac, Gwynedd, Wales
Arsenal Spin machine working again. Fabregas instrumental in starting the brawl, the comments to hughes and now we have the article.
Mr Dein fantastic; alistair Campbell would be proud - Arsenal are the most media-savy club truley awesome.
Fabregas was a Barca player who couldn't sign for Barca cos in spain you have to be at least 18yr. In England its 16 to sign a contract. This loop hole should be closed.
Fabregas is a Great talent but I'd worry if you're Spanish that your brightest star is growing up under Wenger. Sure he'll learn some football but no discipline/strength of character. The lack of the later always cost you on the international stage
Terry, london,