Arsenal Joga Bonito Wednesday: Cesc Appeal

It's been quite a week for Cesc Fabragas, now a grizzled veteran of 20 years and rapidly becoming the iconic talisman of the new {and improved???} Arsenal. Last week he scored a massive 1st goal away to Sparta Prague in the 1st leg of the Champions League qualifying match, putting Arsenal in a great position to qualify. Saturday he scored the only goal in Arsenal's 1-0 win over Man Citeh in the last 10 minutes. Today he came on as a late sub and scored again against Sparta Prauge and Arsenal indeed did qualify for the Champions League. Oh, and he was also rated as the #2 hottie in all of world soccer by Kickette.


The best is saved for last: the humiliation of one Robbie Savage {0:37}

But forget all that. I want to highlight again how mature and classy Cesc is, especially for his age, and how he not only always seems to do the right thing on the field when he has the ball, but he always seems to say the right thing in interviews, which is pretty remarkable considering his age, and the fact that he has been doing it since he was 16.

Cesc is Spanish, and played on the Spanish Under 21 national team with Antonio Puerta. In today's match Cesc wore a black armband in honor of his tragically lost former teammate, which was a pretty nice gesture, both by him and the club {the reports made it sound like he alone wore an armband, but I did not see the match today so i'm not 100% that this is accurate}.

After the match he dedicated his goal to Puerta and said the following:

"I was really sad when I heard Antonio hadn't made it. He was a special guy, although not particularly a special friend. But I played with him for one year in the under-21s and we made our international debut together. I knew he was really ill and then I heard he hadn't made it and that's why I wore the armband. The goal is for him, everything is for him - he was a special guy. It just shows you may know where you are today but in life you don't where you'll be tomorrow. He was a talented player and what's happened is a terrible shame."

That is pretty classy stuff from such a young kid, both the gesture and the words.

Fab4, C4, Cescy Beast, whatever the hell you choose to call him, I freaking love that kid, and I continue to be impressed with him as a person, especially one of such a young age.