Cesc Fabregas has admitted even he was surprised by his sudden rise into the Arsenal first-team at such a young age.
Still only 19, Fabregas' Premiership debut came at the start of the 2004/05 season as he was thrust in by Arsene Wenger to challenge Gilberto and Patrick Vieira for a place in The Gunners' midfield.
Having arrived at Arsenal from Barcelona in 2003, the Spanish midfielder was shocked to find himself playing regularly in the Premiership little more than a year later.
"I certainly wasn't thinking about it (making the first-team)," Fabregas told The Times. "I knew they were great players, but I also never really thought of the first team at that point.
"I mean, I was there to play for the youth team, I never imagined I would have to worry about the first team's midfield, let alone those two.
"I was 16 years old, normally players get a chance when they turn 22 or thereabouts. I thought it would be the same for me. I certainly did not imagine that, in less than a year, I'd be playing regularly alongside them."
Fabregas has since gone on and replaced Vieira as the leader in Arsenal's midfield after the Frenchman's departure for Juventus in 2005.
The youngster was out to prove he was the new midfield enforcer when they came face-to-face in the UEFA Champions League the following season.
"The truth is that someone, I won't say who, told me to go in hard and show Vieira that I was not going to be intimidated by him," Fabregas said.
"He was and remains one of my heroes, but, on the pitch, it was going to be all business."
Fabregas believes he has been able to adapt to the physical nature of the English game and has bulked out a great deal.
He added: "Gilberto says that he always has to come and defend me, but he's a big liar. The truth is that I've learnt to take care of myself.
"A season or two ago I was perhaps a bit more lightweight and maybe some opponents took some liberties with me.
"Now I think I'm tougher and I need to be, because given the way we play now and the way our opponents play, I have a lot less space than before. Usually there's a guy on me from the very first minute, so I had to stiffen up."