He is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for FC Barcelona in La Liga, and the Spanish national team. Fàbregas plays mainly as a central midfielder or attacking midfielder but has also played as a winger or a second striker on some occasions...
Fàbregas started his career as a trainee with Barcelona but was signed by Premier League side Arsenal in September 2003 at the age of 16. Following injuries to key midfielders in the 2004–05 season, he went on to establish himself as Arsenal's starting central midfielder, playmaker and captain. He broke several of the club's records in the process, earning a reputation as one of the best young players for his position. After protracted transfer negotiations, Fàbregas returned to Barcelona; the Catalan giants signed the midfielder for an initial fee of £35 million with a further £5 million in variables on 15 August 2011.
Early years
Born in Arenys de Mar, Barcelona, Catalonia,[3][4] to Francesc Fabregas Sr., who runs a property company, and Núria Soler, the owner of a pastry company, Fàbregas has supported FC Barcelona since childhood and went to his first match when he was nine months old with his grandfather.[5] He began his club football career with CE Mataró, before being signed for Barcelona's La Masia youth academy aged 10 in 1997.[6] His first coach, Señor Blai, reportedly did not select Fàbregas for matches against Barcelona in an attempt to hide him from their scouts.[7] This tactic, however, was unable to withstand Barcelona for long, and Mataró gave in and allowed Fàbregas to train with Barcelona one day per week.
Club career
Arsenal
Adapting to England
Sensing that he would have limited opportunities at Barcelona,[10] Fàbregas joined Arsenal in their Academy,[11] signing for the London club on 11 September 2003.[4] Initially, he found life difficult in England's capital but soon struck a friendship with Spanish-speaking team-mate Philippe Senderos, who helped him settle down.[12] As a 16-year-old, Fàbregas did not contemplate breaking into the first team immediately but looked up to senior players like Patrick Vieira and Gilberto Silva, while concentrating on training and learning the English language.[12] He nevertheless made his debut for Arsenal not long after, on 28 October 2003, in a League Cup tie at home to Rotherham United. In doing so he became Arsenal's youngest ever first team player, aged 16 years and 177 days.[13]
It was not until the start of the 2004–05 season that the Spaniard started making first team appearances in matches outside the League Cup. His first match of the season was against Manchester United in the FA Community Shield. Following an injury to Vieira, Fàbregas stepped in and made four consecutive Premier League starts. He was praised for his performances in those games, even claiming a goal against Blackburn Rovers in a 3–0 victory, and becoming Arsenal's youngest ever goalscorer in a league game.[17][18]
Making the starting eleven
After the departure of Vieira to Juventus, Fàbregas was given the Frenchman's number 4 shirt and featured regularly in the Arsenal central midfield alongside Gilberto Silva. He made 49 appearances in all competitions during the 2005–06 season.[16] Despite his young age, his performances came under greater scrutiny due to his increased involvement in the first team. Further, as Fàbregas possessed a smaller frame and played with less aggression than Vieira, there were initially doubts over his ability to fill in the void left by the Frenchman.[27] Nevertheless, Fàbregas asserted his own style of play and impressed pundits in the Champions League against Real Madrid and Juventus.[28][29][30] In the latter, he scored Arsenal's first goal and set up Thierry Henry for the second,[28] at the same time proving that he could compete against tough, hard-tackling midfielders like Vieira.[30] He then played in the Final against his former club Barcelona, but Arsenal were defeated 2–1,[31] completing a trophyless 2005–06 campaign for Arsenal.
Captaincy
On 24 November 2008, 14 league games into the 2008–09 season, Fàbregas was named as the successor to William Gallas as club captain.[54][55] However, just as Arsenal were getting back into the title race after a poor start to the season, the Spaniard was ruled out for four months after sustaining a knee injury against Liverpool.[56] The Gunners eventually finished the season without any silverware, coming in fourth in the league and being knocked out at the semi-finals of the 2008–09 Champions League campaign.[57][58] In tandem with Arsenal's policy to groom its young players, the team that Fàbregas led into the new season consisted mostly of the same young nucleus as before, with the likes of Nicklas Bendtner, Gaël Clichy, Abou Diaby, Denílson, Samir Nasri, Alexandre Song, and Theo Walcott in tow.
Barcelona
2011–12 season
Fàbregas got another brace in a 4–0 victory against CA Osasuna in the Copa del Rey. He also scored in the semi-final of the competition against Valencia to help Barcelona to the final with a 3–1 win on aggregate.
Fàbregas ended his first season at Barcelona by winning the 2011–12 Copa del Rey, 2011 Supercopa de España, 2011 UEFA Super Cup and the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup, notching 15 goals and 20 assists in 48 appearances and four best midfielder awards.
2012–13 season
Fàbregas ended his long goal drought for his club when he scored his first league goals of the season with a brace against Sevilla FC in a 3–2 away victory. He then scored three goals in October, coming in the league, Champions League and the Copa del Rey. He scored again on 25 November in a 4–0 win away to Levante UD. On 13 January 2013, Fàbregas scored in a 3–1 win away to Málaga CF. Fàbregas scored his first hat-trick of his career against RCD Mallorca in a 5–0 victory on 6 April 2013. He ended his second season at Barcelona by winning the first league title of his career, with a record 100 points. Barcelona were eliminated, however, in the semi-finals of both the Copa del Rey, to rivals Real Madrid, and the Champions League, to winners Bayern Munich. Fàbregas ended the season with 14 goals and 12 assists in 48 appearances in all competitions.
2013–14 season
Barcelona began the season by winning the Supercopa de España. In their opening league win, Fàbregas provided five assists in a 7–0 win over Levante.[74]
International career
Youth team
Although he features regularly for the Spain national football team, Fàbregas' international career began at youth level. At the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship held in Finland, he finished as top scorer of the tournament despite playing in midfield, and was voted Player of the Tournament.[8] Spain finished runners-up in the tournament to Brazil.[75] Fàbregas was next involved in the 2004 UEFA U-17 European Championship, where Spain also finished runners-up.[76] He was named the Golden Player of the tournament by FIFA.[76]
Senior team
After emerging as one of Arsenal's key players in only his second season at the club, it did not take long for Fàbregas to be called up to the senior squad. Noting his impressive performances in Arsenal's 2006 Champions League campaign, Spain coach Luis Aragonés named the teenager in the team for a friendly against Ivory Coast.[77] In that game, Fàbregas became the youngest player capped for Spain in 70 years, beating Sergio Ramos' record.[3] He received favourable reviews for his début, and was involved in the build-up to Spain's first goal in the 3–2 victory over the Ivorians.[3][78]
2006 World Cup
On 15 May 2006, Fàbregas was selected for the Spanish 2006 FIFA World Cup squad. During the tournament, he came on as a second-half substitute in Spain's first two group matches, contributing an assist to striker Fernando Torres in their 3–1 victory against Tunisia.[79] He then started alongside Spain's reserve players (including then-Arsenal teammate José Antonio Reyes) in Spain's third group match against Saudi Arabia.[80] He earned a starting role in Spain's first knockout-stage match against France, in place of Marcos Senna, but Spain lost 3–1.[81] Fàbregas also became the youngest player in Spanish football history to participate in a World Cup when he came on as a substitute for Luis García after 77 minutes in the 4–0 victory against Ukraine on 13 June 2006; he was then 19 years and 41 days old.[82] He was later nominated for the Gillette Young Player of the World Cup, but Germany's Lukas Podolski won the award.[83]
UEFA Euro 2008
In UEFA Euro 2008, Fàbregas was handed the squad number 10, rather than 18 which he had previously held.[84] Despite featuring mostly as a substitute, the midfielder made a considerable impact in Spain's campaign. He scored his first international goal in that competition in Spain's 4–1 win over Russia and also had an assist in that game.[85] Spain won all three of their group games and met Italy in the quarter-finals.
+17.02.03.png)
2009 Confederations Cup
After missing out for several months due to his injury, Fàbregas regained his place as a regular in Vicente del Bosque's squad. In June, he was named in the team for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. He scored his second international goal in a 5–0 win against New Zealand in the competition's group stage.[88] In the semi-finals against the United States (which Fàbregas started), Spain suffered a shock 2–0 loss, and its 15-game winning streak came to an end.[89]
+17.02.14.png)
2010 World Cup
Fàbregas was selected as a part of del Bosque's 23-man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.[90] With del Bosque preferring a starting midfield of Sergio Busquets, Xabi Alonso, Xavi and Andrés Iniesta, Fàbregas did not start in any of Spain's games in the competition. He featured as a substitute in four of their seven matches, in which Spain lost their opening game before winning the next six en route to the final. In the Final itself, Fàbregas set up the extra-time winner for Iniesta to win Spain the World Cup for the first time in their history.[91]
UEFA Euro 2012
Fàbregas was selected as a part of del Bosque's 23-man squad for UEFA Euro 2012.[92] Fàbregas started in the front three of a 4–3–3 formation against Italy in Spain's opening Group C match. In the 64th minute he scored the equaliser after Italy had taken the lead in the 61st minute; the game finished in a 1–1 draw.[93] He then scored his second goal of the tournament in the group stage match against Ireland. When Spain faced Portugal in the semi-finals and the game remained scoreless at the end of extra time, Fàbregas scored the winning penalty of the shootout as Spain prevailed 4–2. In the final against Italy, Fàbregas started and provided the assist to David Silva for the game's opening goal, en route to a 4–0 Spain victory.
2013 Confederations Cup
Fàbregas was named in the provisional squad in the lead up to the 2013 Confederations Cup by del Bosque.[94] He made two starts in the competition and one substitute appearance, all during the group stage of the competition, and assisting a goal in Spain's opening group match against Uruguay, which Spain won 2-1.[95] Spain won all their group matches, only conceding a goal and scoring 15. Spain advanced to the final of the competition for the first time, after a lengthy and difficult semi-final clash in a re-match against their opponents of the European Championship Final of the previous year, Italy. The match ended 0-0 after extra time and Spain won 7-6 in the resulting penalty shoot-out, but were eventually defeated 3-0 in the final by hosts and defending champions Brazil.
Style of play
Arsenal
Barcelona and Spain
At Barcelona, Fàbregas continued to play a prominent midfield, attacking and playmaking role, similar to his positions in the Spanish national team and also at Arsenal. He effortlessly fit into Pep Guardiola's 4-3-3 formation, participating in the midfield's trademark "tiki-taka" patient, attacking, build-up style of play, also associated with the Spanish National Squad under Vincente Del Bosque and Luis Aragonés.[104]Fàbregas was used in a variety of different roles under Guardiola, scoring several goals and providing many assists. Due to the presence of Xavi, Sergio Busquets and Andrés Iniesta in the three man midfield, as well as the emerging Thiago, Fàbregas was often employed as a winger, or even as a forward under Guardiola.[105] He regularly performed in the role that Lionel Messi had often occupied during the previous season,[106] functioning as a false-9 in a 4-6-0 formation (a role which he would also play for Spain at Euro 2012 under Vicente del Bosque),[107] whilst Messi would play as a right winger or second forward.[108] Fàbregas was, however, still used in deeper roles, as an attacking, deep-lying or centre midfielder, in particular under Guardiola's successors Tito Vilanova and Tata Martino.[74][105]
Outside football
Personal life
Fàbregas and his partner Daniella Semaan have a daughter named Lia, who was born on 10 April 2013.[109]Sponsorship
In 2011, Fàbregas signed a sponsorship deal with German sportswear and equipment supplier, Puma.[110] He appeared in an advert for the new Puma PowerCat 1.12 in September 2011 and was one of the flagship wearers of Puma's PowerCat range of football boots.[111]
Other projects
Fàbregas starred in his own one-time only television programme, called "The Cesc Fàbregas Show: Nike Live", that aired on 19 May 2008. The programme was sponsored by Nike and was shown on Sky Sports. The show featured Fàbregas in several sketches with Arsenal teammates like Philippe Senderos and Nicklas Bendtner, as well as coach Arsène Wenger, Fàbregas's parents and Little Britain star Matt Lucas.[112]Fàbregas is also an Honorary Patron of the campaign against racism in football and society, Show Racism the Red Card.
Official website
