I "tackled Kanu and he was so upset with me" - Cesc Fabregas

Kanu Nwankwo. A native of Abia State, SouthEast Nigeria. A Nigerian former professional footballer. Played as forward for several clubs in Europe and the Super Eagles of Nigeria. He played for Nigeria from 1994 - 2010. He was crowned African Footballer Of The Year twice in 1996 and 1999. Kanu played for Arsenal from 1999 - 2004. Widely regarded as one of the best players in African football history. Arsenal signed Kanu from Inter Milan for approximately £4.15million. He is a UNICEF goodwill ambassador. Photo: Getty

Former Arsenal captain, Cesc Fabregas, says he made ex-Nigeria international, Nwankwo Kanu angry during their time at the London club.


The Spanish midfielder joined the Gunners as a 16-year-old in 2003 from Barcelona and was highly rated by manager Arsene Wenger, but largely unknown to the more established Arsenal stars.

Speaking in an Instagram live session with Thierry Henry, the 33-year-old revealed that while trying to impress the manager and his teammates in his first training at the club, he tackled Kanu, which made the Nigerian unhappy.

“My first training when I joined Arsenal, I was all in my head trying to impress and I made a tackle on Kanu and he was so upset with me,”

Kanu in action for Arsenal against Inter Milan. Photo: Getty

“When you’re young, sometimes you don’t think; you just want to go there and prove yourself without realising that you’re playing alongside World Cup winners. At that moment you just want to do your best and most times, the passion gets the best out of you,” he added.

Both players featured for the Gunners for one season before Kanu left for Portsmouth in 2004, after spending five years at the club.
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