1) Cesc Fabregas (Spain) – 2003
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Cesc Fabregas was so good as a youngster that coaches from Barcelona’s La Masia refused to play him when they knew scouts were watching. Of course, they could do nothing to stop him when he played for Spain’s youth teams and the 2003 U-17 World Cup in Finland saw Fabregas come away with both the Golden Ball and Golden Shoe as he finished top scorer with five goals.
He became only the second player to win both awards and could have made it a hat-trick of trophies had Spain won the final but they had gone down 1-0 to Brazil courtesy of a goal from Leo Moura.
Less than a month later, he took the massive step of leaving Barcelona in search of more football and Arsenal offered him what clubs in Spain couldn’t at his age – a senior contract. under Arsene Wenger’s tutelage, Fabregas would become the fulcrum of the Gunners and became one of the finest creators in not only the Premier League but Europe as a whole.
Barcelona would soon come calling to bring him back home but his love affair with his hometown club lasted only three seasons before he was discarded. Preferring to move back to England, Chelsea signed him up and he helped the Blues win a Premier League – his first league title in England.
