10 years ago, if you thought of Como, you'd think of the picturesque shores of the lake for which it is and forever will be known.
Although, if someone now said a decade later its famous lake is not the only thing putting it on the map, it's unlikely anyone's mind would jump to football.
Yet as we look at the 2025-26 season, among the stunning views and glorious landscapes there is now a football team on the horizon threatening to topple the giants of Italian football, led by non-other than former Barcelona and Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas.
Through a combination of investment, tactical ingenuity and bold decision-making, Como have risen from the fourth tier of Italian football to the first in just seven seasons.
Initial Concern and proving the doubters wrong
When any coach receives their first chance in the hot seat, there always concern over how well they can adapt to life in the dugout - Wayne Rooney or Steven Gerrard will tell you a legendary playing career doesn't necessarily guarantee success when you put on a suit and tie for the first time. Or in Fabregas' case, a quarter-zip and trainers.
In fact, many predicted Como would make an immediate to the second tier, with Opta predicting a 49 per cent chance of relegation last season.
Against all odds, which suggested Fabregas and Como would struggle in their first season in the top-flight last term, they proved the doubters wrong and finished 10th - just two spots below the European places - the highest finish in the clubs history.
Even Arsene Wenger admitted he was surprised by the rapid rise and immediate success of his former captain.
'The truth is, I didn't expect such rapid success, but I do believe Fabregas will be a great coach in the future,' Wenger told Marca.
'Sometimes, when you go so quickly from playing to coaching, it's difficult to adapt, and he's done it very quickly.
'He's invited me to come to Como to see him. At some point I'll honour that invitation.'
Backing Cesc
Robert and Michael Hartono completed their takeover of Como in 2019. With a combined net worth of over £35billion, there ranked as the wealthiest owners in all of Serie A.
Since his appointment in 2023, Fabregas, meanwhile, has been given funds worth up to £150m to spend. So yes, some of their recent success can be attributed to financial superiority.
But putting their hands in their incredibly deep pockets is not the only way Robert and Michael have shown support for their manager.
In July of last year, former Chelsea and England midfielder Dennis Wise announced he would be resigning from his role as the club's CEO. Wise citied the owner's decision to 'follow Cesc Fabregas' as the reason for his decision.
Despite raising eyebrows at the time, the decision to support Fabregas in whatever capacity over the more experienced Wise, whom at the time had been in post far longer than the head coach, showed unity and togetherness from the very top.
A recruitment switch
Since their rise to the topflight, Como have made no secret of their intentions to use their world-famous location to their advantage in an attempt to attract big name players and boost their reputation.
Since the takeover, the likes of Pepe Reina, Alberto Moreno, Raphael Varane, Sergi Roberto and Dele Alli have all been and, in most cases, gone. Even Fabregas himself initially arrived with the intention of doing his work in a playing capacity.
However, after the deals for Varane and Alli proved to be flops, Fabregas and sporting director Carlalberto Ludi realised this wasn't the way Como were going to reach the very top.
The board, which includes Fabregas' former team-mate Thierry Henry, recognised that and opted to change the way in which they recruited players.
Both in the window just gone and last season Como stopped going for big-name players, who in most cases brought with them hefty wage demands.
Instead, they have opted to go for smarter pick-ups - younger players with potential, often out of favour at their current clubs and who most importantly fit the footballing philosophy of Fabregas himself.
This summer, Martin Baturina and Maxime Perrone, both 22, arrived from Dinamo Zagreb and Manchester City respectively. The arrival of Baturina in particular represented a shift in their focus in recruitment.
With the promise of a starring role, Baturina was convinced and a deal worth £15million was completed.
The permanent signing of Perrone was a slightly different one. Having been on loan last season, the fact the deal was made permanent for the small fee of £10m represented unilateral thinking from the board and the manager.
The jewel in Como's crown however is Nico Paz. Paz arrived last season from Real Madrid for £7m and, after an outstanding campaign last term which included six goals and nine assists, Paz was the main man in a team which led Como to their highest finish ever (10th).
In the summer, Como were able to stave off interested from Spain and a reported £40m bid from Tottenham in order to retain his services. Paz seems unmoved, already registering a goal and an assist this season, while also ranking top in the whole league for shot and goal creating actions.
Jesus Rodriguez, still only 19, also arrived in a deal worth £25m, a club-record, the most expensive of the 11 permanent arrivals this season, all of which cost upwards of £100m.
Tactics
As a former player of Pep Guardiola, Wenger and Jose Mourinho, it'll be no surprise that Fabregas is a tactically astute manger. However, he's far more than just Guardiola or Wenger 2.0.
The Spaniard has used the ideas of some of the best coaches alongside developing his own ideas about how the game should be played.
Having come through at Barcelona's La Masia academy, the former Premier League winner places great emphasis on keeping possession of the ball to dominate games and create chances.
This season Como have the third highest average possession (63 per cent), only behind league favourites Napoli and Inter.
Fabregas looks to build up primarily through the middle of the pitch, often creating central overloads and third man runs, possibly as a nod to his time as a midfielder.
This not only means that they are able to dominate the ball because the ball is often where Como's most technically astute players (Paz and Baturina) play, but, when they do lose it, they do so in area where they have a numerical advantage.
They are then able to press, win the ball and either recycle it or spring a quick attack. Ranking joint third (58) for tackles and interceptions this season indicates their press is not only aggressive, but also effective.
What's next for Cesc?
As is the case with any managerial success story, the rumour-mill is already swirling as for what's next for the World Cup winner.
Naturally, Fabregas has been linked with a return to the Premier League given his achievements in Italy, and, while his immediate future seems to lie by the lake, Fabregas has admitted he would one day like to return to the English top-flight.
'We are working well, people are very dedicated, the owners are investing well and smartly,' he said last year. 'We are all on the same page, evolving every single week to try and create this family, this union, let's see where we are at the season.
'I am doing my own way at the moment. 100 per cent my ambition one day is to coach a top club in the Premier League, the Champions League.'
The story of Como's rapid rise to Italian football's top-table is not just one based on astronomical sums or big names. Plenty of clubs have spent far more than they have and achieved far less.
Instead, it's a story which shows how joined up thinking and patience is the key to footballing progress. Once a place known for reasons purely geographical, its residents and fans have a football club that excites and achieves. If they continue with that trajectory, 'the boys from the lake' will be the ones on the tail of Italian football's biggest fish.
The question now is, what's next? The challenge for Fabregas: European football. The challenge for Como: Keep hold of Fabregas.