These athletes not only share a love of the sport; they also share a genome!
Many football enthusiasts inherit their love for the game from family members, often passed down from fathers to sons. In some cases, skill with the ball also runs in the family. Although living up to the achievements of a renowned father can be challenging, there are numerous instances in football history where sons have not only attempted to match their fathers' success; some have even surpassed it. Let's look into some prominent examples of fathers and sons who have graced the professional football arena and explore their journeys.
A legendary defender in football history, Paolo Maldini's father, Cesare, was a talented player for AC Milan in the 1950s and 1960s. Cesare, an Italian defender by trade, captained the Azzurri after making 14 appearances for the team. Daniel, the attacking midfielder who has played for AC Milan and Italy's Under-21 team, is his grandson and Paolo's son.
Johan Cruyff welcomed his son into the world during his tenure at Barcelona, naming him Jordi—a nod to Catalan heritage. Their paths intertwined professionally when Johan coached and Jordi played at Camp Nou. Despite the daunting challenge of following in the footsteps of one of football's legends, Jordi forged a respectable career, representing clubs like Barcelona, Manchester United, and Alaves, among others.
Known as one of the best African footballers of all time, George Weah was the 1995 Ballon d'Or winner and a forward for AC Milan. Later on, he was elected president of Liberia. Timothy, Weah's son, is a right winger who was born in New York and has experience playing for Juventus, Lille, and Paris Saint-Germain. He represents the United States at international level.
Diego Simeone established himself in the 1990s and 2000s, making a significant impact with his dynamic midfield skills, amassing over 100 appearances for Argentina. All three of Simeone's sons—Giovanni, Gianluca, and Giuliano—followed in their father's footsteps to pursue football careers. Among them, Giovanni stands out as the most accomplished, having served as a striker for clubs like River Plate, Fiorentina, and Napoli. Additionally, he has represented Argentina on the international stage.
A midfielder in Brazil's victorious World Cup team of 1994, Mazinho is the father of Thiago and Rafinha Alcantara. Both Thiago and Rafinha began their football journeys in Barcelona. Thiago continued his career with stints at Bayern Munich and Liverpool, in addition to representing Spain internationally. Meanwhile, Rafinha has played for Inter, Paris Saint-Germain, and has also donned the Brazilian national team jersey.
In addition to 42 caps for the Netherlands national team, Danny Blind won five Eredivisie titles and a Champions League trophy with Ajax in the 1980s and 1990s. Daley, his son, is a defender as well and has more than 100 caps for the Netherlands. In addition to periods at Girona, Manchester United, and Bayern Munich, he had two extended stays at Ajax.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, Alf-Inge Haaland played for Nottingham Forest, Leeds, and Manchester City, in addition to earning 34 caps for Norway. Leeds native Son Erling rose to prominence as one of the top attackers in the world very rapidly. He played for Borussia Dortmund, Molde, and Red Bull Salzburg before joining Manchester City and winning the triple crown in 2022–2023.
One of France's best defenders, Lilian Thuram, was a member of the 1998 World Cup-winning squad. He played in Serie A for Parma and Juventus, earning 142 caps overall. His son Marcus is a forward, and his other son Khephren is a midfielder, Both played for France internationally; the former was a member of the team that advanced to the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar.
These father-son pairings go to prove that the game has a deeper rooted connection to players than just skill and practice. Some of it can come from DNA too!
