On This Day: Fabregas the youngest Arsenal scorer; North London Derby in 2006

Hi all, welcome to All Football's On This Day! Let's find out what happened today (December 2nd) in football history. If you have more stories and news that happened on this day in history, please post them in the comment area and share them with AFers!

2 December 2003 - Fabregas Became Arsenal's Youngest scorer

On 2 December 2003, midfielder Cesc Fabregas scored a late goal in Arsenal's 5-1 romp over Wolves in the League Cup. At 16 years and 212 days old, he became the youngest person to score for Arsenal in a first-team match.

Fabregas had signed with the Gunners the previous September. By October, he had already set a club record when he played against Rotherham United in a League Cup match, becoming the youngest player to make a first-team appearance for Arsenal.

The match against Wolves was only his second appearance for the club. Played at Highbury before a crowd of 28,161, the hosts went up 4-0 with goals from Jeremie Aliadiere (24', 71'), Nwankwo Kanu (68'), and Sylvain Wiltord (79') before Wolverhampton midfielder Alex Rae pulled one back with a powerful goal in the 80th minute. But the 88th-minute tap-in from Fabregas restored the cushion for the final score.

On This Day in 2006 - North London Derby! Arsenal 3-0 Tottenham

On 2 December 2003, the first North London Derby at Emirates Stadium, a stunning late first-half double helps Arsenal to a comfortable win over Tottenham in the north London derby!

Arsenal emphatically swept aside claims from Tottenham that they were ready to challenge the supremacy of their north London rivals with a convincing victory at the Emirates.

And today, we will watch another North London Derby as Arsenal will host Tottenahm in Emirates Stadium again, let's look forward to what miracles will happen today!

On This Day in 1948 - Birthday of Antonin Panenka

Antonin Panenka (born 2 December 1948 in Prague) is a Czech former footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He played most of his career for Czech club Bohemians Prague. Panenka won UEFA Euro 1976 with the Czechoslovakia. 

In the final against West Germany, he scored the winning penalty in the shootout with a softly-chipped ball up the middle of the goal as the goalkeeper dived away; this style of penalty is now called the Panenka penalty! 

In 1980, he won Czechoslovak Footballer of the Year and his team finished third at Euro 1980.

2 December 2010 - FIFA Qourts Qontroversy

On 2 December 2010, in a decision that became a lightning rod for controversy, FIFA awarded the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.

FIFA announced the hosts of both the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, with the former going to Russia over a bid from England and combined bids from the Netherlands/Belgium and Spain/Portugal. But while that decision drew criticism of its own, it was the 2022 tournament host that sparked the loudest outcry.

Qatar's weather sat at the forefront of all concerns, with temperatures there in the summer reaching over 110° Fahrenheit (43.33° Celsius), posing a risk for players and other attendees. In its bid, selected over competition from the United States, Australia, Japan, and South Korea, Qatar proposed building five new climate-controlled stadiums. Sceptics immediately questioned the feasibility of that plan and just a few days after it announced the decision, FIFA began entertaining the idea of moving the 2022 tournament to the winter.

Other criticisms focused on the country's poor human-rights records, particularly with regard to discrimination against homosexuals, to which FIFA President Sepp Blatter responded by saying that those concerned should simply "refrain from any sexual activities" while in Qatar. The country's treatment of migrant workers presented another issue, fueled by reports of deaths among Nepalese laborers brought in to help prepare for the tournament.

2 December 1907 - Manchester Unites!

On 2 December 1907, a group of professional footballers including Manchester United's Charlie Roberts and Billy Meredith (pictured) organized the first meeting of the Association of Football Players' and Trainers' Union at the Imperial Hotel in Manchester. Operating today as the Professional Footballers' Association, it is the oldest professional players association in the world.

The group was motivated in opposition to the Football League's setting of a £4 per week maximum wage for players. Although the group successfully negotiated bonus payments to supplement the wage, the Football League continued to impose a maximum wage until the 1960s.

Today, the PFA supports community outreach, scholarship, and education programs. It also awards three yearly honors - the Players' Player of the Year, the Young Player of the Year, and the Fans' Player of the Year.