Senior Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas has warned that playing some of his La Masia graduates too young could shorten their careers. Although he has no doubts about his ability to play or handle the game mentally, physically he had his doubts.
Fabregas was asked about something that has become a hot topic in Can Barca during an interview with Relief.
“Age is not important. I experienced it firsthand, because when I was only sixteen years old, I made my debut for Arsenal, and since then my career has risen to a level very quickly. I don't regret nothing, although it is true that, starting so strong, early and with enormous pressure… This means that when you are older, you can physically fall faster than normal.”
This certainly feels particularly relevant, given Yamal plates he has just started his eighth consecutive game, the last against Napoli in the Champions League.
“It happened to me. I was a child, a toothpick, I was not physically ready. So, I gave up very very early when I was not yet ready, because I had not matured. I think it had a negative impact on me when I was older of thirty years. When I was thirty-two years old, for example, I did not want to see or accept, but I felt that my body did not respond like another at the same age. Maybe, in that sense, it was like and 38 years old physically. I take a lot of care of myself, yes, but genetically we are all different.”
The work you are asked to do on the field can also have an impact, according to Fabregas, which can perhaps ease the burden of 17-year-old Pau Cubarsi, who plays mainly with the game in front of him. He also ended on a note of optimism.
“In addition, a midfielder who runs 12 km per match, with a huge physical and mental exhaustion, even more. I paid for it physically, but on a mental level I think there is everything. Yes, it is true that when you play for a big club there is responsibility and pressure, but these boys are very prepared. Look at Lamine Yamal, who has been in the Barca academy… He is so good that it is impossible not to include him. In addition, he is already used to playing against Real Madrid, Espanyol, United in these summer tournaments. Don't forget something: at Barça you have to train, but also win. For six, seven, eight years you have to win. For me, age is not important, as long as it can be managed properly.”
As Fabregas notes, with good management and the right genetic make-up, players can sustain two-decade careers these days. However, there is still no way to know how the body will respond 10 years later, or how the injuries may impact the players. There are still a lot more games than when Fabregas broke out, and it certainly feels like players like Fabregas and Wayne Rooney have lost a yard before, but others have also bucked that trend.
