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The pressure is on 21-year-old Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas, but history shows youth is no barrier to success. Or failure. Or execution.

Tony Adams - Was younger than Fabregas when he captained Arsenal for the first time in 1987 before getting the gig permanently aged 22. Leaving aside the bit where he was jailed for drink-driving, it all went rather well, with four league titles, three FA Cups and a Cup-winners' Cup.

Patrick Vieira - Adams's successor as Arsenal skipper, Vieira had got some practice in during his formative years at Cannes. The lanky midfielder's unique bone-crunching style impressed folk on the French Riviera so much he was made captain at 18. Has not finished lower than second in the league for any club since 1997. Fact.

Darren Fletcher - Became one of the youngest captains in international football when he skippered Scotland against Estonia in 2004 aged 20. Back then, it looked like he could become Dalkeith's answer to Zinedine Zidane. It wasn't to be. To quote Roy Keane: "I can't understand why people in Scotland rave about Darren Fletcher."

Fernando Torres - Arsene Wenger knows a thing or two about the desperation 'please stay' captaincy, having awarded it to Thierry Henry. Torres received similar treatment from Atletico Madrid in 2003 after a sensational debut season in La Liga attracted the attention of, well, everybody. Was made club captain at 19.

Jermaine Jenas - Another young star who was chucked the armband in an attempt to inspire loyalty, this one failed in record time. The 18-year-old Jenas was made Nottingham Forest skipper in 2001 but signed for Newcastle after just one match.

Ray Wilkins - Butch proved that repeatedly saying 'marvellous' can be a successful form of leadership in 1976/77 when he helped Chelsea gain promotion to the old First Division at the tender age of 18. Although it is worth remembering that Wilkins has always looked 40. He was probably buying cigarettes and booze for his classmates at primary school.

Will Carling - Will Carling is famous for 1) Unproven allegations that he got a little too friendly with Princess Diana; 2) Being nicknamed 'bum face' on account of his cleft chin; 3) Becoming England's youngest rugby union captain aged 22; 4) Getting sacked for calling the RFU Committee "57 old farts". Let's call it a qualified success.

Graeme Smith - He is not Test cricket's youngest captain - that honour went to Zimbabwe's Tatenda Taibu in 2004 - but he is one of the best. Took charge of the Proteas in the wake of the Hansie Cronje scandal and has maintained their position as one of the best teams in the world. Or at least good enough to beat England.

Joan of Arc - Was 17 when she took charge of French forces at the siege of Orleans in 1429 and claimed some major victories in the Hundred Years' War. A word of warning to Theo Walcott - her career was over by 19, although it was burning at the stake rather than dodgy shoulders that did for her.

Henry VI - Arsene Wenger would have liked the 15th century. In 1422 Henry VI succeeded to the thrones of England and France aged just eight months, although he was sensibly held back in the academy until his official coronation at the age of eight.

Alex Chick / Eurosport