Francesc "Cesc" Fābregas Soler (born 4 May 1987 in
Arenys de Mar, Barcelona, Spain) is a Spanish
footballer who plays as a central midfielder for
Arsenal in the English Premier League and for the
Spanish national team. Fābregas started his career
as a trainee with FC Barcelona but was signed by
Arsenal in September 2003. He did not feature much
in his first season for The Gunners, but following
injuries to key midfielders in the 200405 season,
his playing time increased. Before long, he
established himself as Arsenal's starting central
midfielder and playmaker. He went on to break
several of the club's records as he began to earn a
reputation of a technically-gifted player. In
international football, the Spaniard's national
career began when he represented the Under-17 side
at the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Finland.
As a result of his club performances, he was called
up to the senior squad. He has played in the 2006
World Cup as well as Euro 2008, where he was one of
the key players that helped Spain lift the trophy.
