The legendary midfielder talks to GOAL in a wide-ranging interview as part of Gatorade's annual 5v5 Tournament initiative
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It's a scorching hot day in Munich, with less than 12 hours to go before the city hosts the UEFA Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter. At the centre of the Olympiapark, the sprawling Olympic village constructed for the 1972 Summer Games, is a specially-built small-sided football setup for the week, tucked neatly between the stadium, lake and indoor arena. All roads inside the park lead there one way or another and it is the focus of attention, a true festival of football.
The court, complete with a fresh, green artificial pitch and a goal with orange trim and black netting is courtesy of Gatorade, one of UEFA's primary sponsors. They are holding their annual 5v5 Tournament, where teams of 14 to 16-year-olds from across the world compete to win tickets to the Champions League final. This year, Canada's boys and girls teams reached the last stage, but would later fall short against Brazil and Mexico respectively.
The day is also headlined by football royalty participating in a game of their own with influencers and global media, with Cafu, Robert Pires, Claude Makelele and Laura Georges all turning out. And then there was the star attraction, ex-Spain midfielder and Como manager Cesc Fabregas, who sat down with GOAL before kick-off to discuss his career, former clubs, Gatorade's initiative and more.
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Fabregas, who turned 38 last month, is most renowned for an incredibly successful playing career with the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona, where he won several titles and honours at both a team and individual level. "I don't even remember most of the time I used to play and I only retired two years ago!" he tells GOAL. Nowadays, he is too engrossed in life as a budding young manager, one who's come off a fine first full season with Serie A newcomers Como, guiding them to a solid 10th-place finish.
"You keep learning," he says of the lessons of the past 12 months. "Day to day, you find out new things and new ways. But definitely it's a process that's going very fast and I'm learning a lot. It's just about pushing yourself to new limits, be very open to learning and listening. It's a new world, you are not a player anymore, it's about learning and analysing in a different context."
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Fabregas has a unique distinction of being a fan favourite at London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea, even if some of an N5 persuasion still aren't happy he chose to join the Blues in 2014 when he moved on from Barcelona. From the way he speaks, it's obvious the affection remains mutual.
"Both of them are doing well," he says with warmth. "They are probably in different stages. Arsenal after six years [with Mikel Arteta as manager] are trying to build and get into the market, making players from the academy grow. They have a good structure around the team, they had a lot of injuries this year to key players. But hopefully it's coming, what they've been trying to build over the last six years."
He added: "My favourite stadium to play in was Highbury. I really miss Highbury, it was amazing. Obviously, my dream was to play at Camp Nou and I did it, San Siro was pretty special as well whenever we played in the Champions League, Anfield too. But Highbury is definitely the one that had a big impact on me. The best goal I scored was against AC Milan in the quarter-finals of the Champions League [in 2008]."
Getty Images SportChelsea's project
The blue chunk of Fabregas' heart was also optimistic for Chelsea and their project built around the world's top up-and-coming talent, which has now yielded success with victory in the Conference League. "They've invested big in young players and now, slowly, they're getting the grip of playing together after making mistakes. I always say that young players need to make mistakes but then be trusted to keep playing, to understand what a team is.
"You can only win what's in front of you, I know they were very superior to the rest of the clubs in the Conference League, but they were there and won. They took it seriously, it was a good season. Now they need to take a higher step next year."
GatoradeWenger's lessons of hydration
Gatorade have been busy promoting the importance of hydration, a field they have committed to researching and innovating for over 40 years. On a day like this where there isn't a cloud in the sky and the sun is making people sweat, this messaging feels more apt than ever.
Fabregas, of his own accord, span a tale about his own nutritional education from one of his legendary former managers, Arsene Wenger. "Hydration is fundamental. When we were younger, we were not as educated about it, but Gatorade show why it is so important. The first one who brought it to my attention was Arsene Wenger, he was always focused on the little details. Then you realise the more you grow, the more educated you get about hydration in the day-to-day situations.
"Sometimes you drink because you're thirsty, but you need to prevent being thirsty by drinking. When you wake up, get a glass of water and then maintain it during the day. It's no good for two or three minutes drinking a litre and that's it. It's gradual and about getting into these habits, and I'm sure you will feel much better during the day."
