Francesc Fàbregas

Cesc Fàbregas wasn’t the only young footballer in Spain with hopes of making it in the pros. He worked hard to perfect his technique – often playing at the beach because the more difficult the surface the more apt one is to develop stronger ball skills – and make up for his lack of stature. The result? He reaped his rewards ahead of most. He joined the Academy players of Barcelona “La Masia” in 1997 when he was only 10. In 2003, he signed his first professional contract for Arsenal, which kicked off an incredible history with the club. He broke many records, including Arsenal's youngest ever first team player (aged 16 years and 177 days), the youngest goal scorer in Arsenal's history, and in 2008 he became one of Arsenal's youngest captains. As if that weren’t enough to keep him busy, he has also played for the Spanish National Team, being European champion twice (2008, 2012) and World Champion in 2010. He returned to Barcelona in 2011, thus joining his friends from “La Masia” as well as “La Roja.” With his phenomenal scoring, assists, and intense training, Fàbregas is a fan favorite without much free time. When he does have it, he enjoys the cinema.