Cesc Fabregas has dedicated Spain’s Euro 2008 success to Arsenal fans and told them he wants to repeat his international glory at club level - by winning trophies in style.
The 21-year-old midfielder hailed Spain’s victory over Germany on Sunday evening as a triumph for “beautiful football”, after going three years without silverware in domestic competition.
There are similarities between Spain and Arsenal in their passing approach but Arsene Wenger’s men tailed away after Christmas last season and ended empty-handed despite being looking poised to get something from their campaign.
Fabregas still earned PFA Young Player of the Year for his efforts and in Vienna helped his country end their run of 44 years since winning their last major tournament.
“Of course, that was the happiest day of my life as a professional footballer,” said Fabregas.
“It was also for the Arsenal fans that have been suffering a lot this year. For them, at least one player has won something. It is for them.”
The midfielder’s enthusiasm for the Gunners cause will be welcome news for his manager Arsene Wenger, who is facing a fight to keep star striker Emmanuel Adebayor.
Spain capped a thrilling tournament by defeating Germany with the entertaining football that had seen them win their five previous matches at the finals.
“I haven’t seen for a long time a team playing such nice football, playing the ball around and playing beautiful football and get a trophy as big as that,” Fabregas said.
“Now at Arsenal we have more or less the same quality of game so hopefully the football will also get better and better for Arsenal.”
Fabregas had suffered defeat in a final before, in the Champions League where they lost to Barcelona two years ago, and he added:
“Does it make up for Paris? Definitely. I can see there is a massive difference between losing and winning in a final.
“Even if they say being a finalist is important, there is no way you can replace the feeling of winning.
“Now next year I want to win trophies with Arsenal, this is my target.
I finally made something at a young age, I never expected it to be with Spain. Now I want to do it with Arsenal.“It’s the second trophy - I have an FA Cup. But of course a European Championship is not the same.”
Fernando Torres grabbed the winner at Ernst Happel Stadium and Fabregas believes Spain can now focus on winning the World Cup in South Africa in two years’ time.
“We are very young and of course now we will go for the World Cup,” the Arsenal midfielder added.
“Yes, Fernando can be one of the best. He is all about the team and not the individual performance. I told him it would be his game and he got that goal.”
Spain have often been regarded as a team that lacked unity, with strong regional differences undermining their cause. In this regard, Euro 2008 could prove to be a symbolic as well a purely footballing victory. The idea that it is OK to be Spanish as well as, say, Catalan.
Time will tell if that feeling lasts, but there is no doubt Spain are worthy winners of Euro 2008.
