Cesc Fàbregas biography

Synopsis

Early Life

Professional soccer player Francesc "Cesc" Fàbregas Soler was born on May 4, 1987, in the Spanish port town of Arenys de Mar. Fàbregas came from a modest background. His mother, Nuria, worked as a caterer for a time, while his father, Francesc Fàbregas Sr., kept his family fed by laboring as a construction worker. Soccer was also a large part of his father's life; Francesc Sr. continued to play soccer even after his son was born, and when it came time for young Fàbregas to take the field, it was his dad who served as his first coach.

From an early age, Fàbregas demonstrated the mental toughness and dedication to the game that set him apart as a true professional. At the age of 8, with dreams of playing professionally very much on his mind, Fàbregas was already training hard and becoming careful about his diet, opting for fish and vegetables over fast food. At age 10, he joined soccer club FC Barcelona's youth academy, a renowned training ground for some of the sport's most promising young players.

In the summer of 2003, Fàbregas showcased his impressive talent in the FIFA U-17 World Championship in Finland, where the playmaker led Spain to a second-place finish, captured the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player and received the Golden Boot award for becoming the tournament's top scorer.

First Professional Contract

Just a few months later, Fàbregas signed his first professional contract, with the Premier League club Arsenal. For Fàbregas, the decision to leave home and jump to England was a big one. But Arsenal, a club that cultivated a reputation for developing young players under the direction of manager Arsene Wenger, was more than willing to work with the midfielder and lessen the chance for any homesickness.

He moved into a home in Barnet, Hertfordshire, that was run by a woman who looked after some of Arsenal's younger players. There, Fàbregas lived a fairly simple life, with days dominated by practice time and English lessons. "I had a stereo, some clothes, a computer, a tiny television, which was hooked up to my PlayStation," he later recalled. "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. It was tough, but it was a choice I made."

Club Stardom

It wasn't long before Fàbregas saw the benefits of his social sacrifices. In October 2003, the midfielder made his debut with Arsenal, giving him the distinction of becoming the youngest player ever to step onto the field for the club.