But more than any of those starlets, Wenger feels this could be Fabregas’s competition. He admits he is biased, but is unapologetic as he insists Fabregas is not leaving Arsenal and said: “For me, Fabregas could be the player of this tournament.

“Cesc’s intelligence on the field is fantastic to see at such a young age. I know him well because I see him every day. His understanding of the game, I love that as well.”

For Wenger, the success of the physically small Fabregas in the hurly burly of English and European football is proof that skill can still triumph in an age when the athlete, the powerhouse, has largely taken over. Arsenal manager Wenger said: “In a period when football has gone more towards athleticism, his success is proof that if you have the quality, you don’t need to run the 100metres in 10 seconds.

“The intelligence he has helps a lot. When you see the modern game, where everyone is so strong, it’s good to see someone of an average size like Fabregas playing at the top level and succeeding there.”

Wenger has his chequebook ready for strengthening his squad after Arsenal’s title hopes faded last season in a dismal spring run-in. But he is not expecting to make captures in middle Europe.

“Everyone knows the big players here,” he said. “We don’t discover players in the big championships any more. You expect Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry, Franck Ribery perhaps to stand out anyway. 

“But I’ll have an eye on Gomez with Germany, Benzema for France or Modric in the Croatia team. Apart from all the big stars we know, these players could be very interesting to watch and to see if they stand out physically overall. Cesc will do that because he will be covering all the ground.”

Wenger believes the strongest challenge to Fabregas’s hopes with Spain will come from his own compatriots, France, who he feels have the strongest squad of any here at Euro 2008.

Wenger, touted by many as a France coach at one time, said: “If you look at the strengths of the different teams, you have some that are better equipped, like France.

“If you look at the French national team, every single player plays in a top team in Europe and they’re backed up by others also playing for big teams.

“As you saw in Portugal last time out, there will be surprises here. The big problem in the European Championship is the qualifying group. If you mess up in the first game, you’re under 

massive pressure in games two and three.

“France look very strong as a counter-attacking team. But they will miss a player like Zinedine Zidane. They are very dangerous in the next three seconds after winning the ball but, if they don’t score then, they may well have problems unlocking defences.”

They do not, in other words, have a Fabregas. A man who can unlock those doors. A man that, Wenger believes, could be the key to a first Spanish win since 1964.