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Footballers who are walking in the footsteps of their famous dads

Alfie Haaland and his son Erling Haaland. Photo: Sporting News
  • Just like any other sport, it is expected that famous ex-footballers have sons who play football
  • Some of these players have surpassed their fathers’ performance in the sport
  • Zidane has four sons, and all of them play football, although they have not yet matched their father

A longtime passion for the wonderful sport is difficult to shake, and when a player starts practising and learning from the greatest at a young age, they will have an advantage over the competition.

In some circumstances, an individual’s name can even provide an advantage over others. There is a yearning among the viewing world to see sons imitate or even outperform their fathers on the field, so there is excitement and enthusiasm.

Here is a list of sons following in the footsteps of their renowned fathers

Enzo Fernandez 

Age: 27

Club: Fuenlabrada

Father: Zinedine Zidane

Enzo Fernandez and his father Zidane. Photo: The18

 Zinedine Zidane has four kids who are footballers, one of them being Enzo Fernandez. He is currently attempting to carve out a reputation for himself outside of Real Madrid, where his Football career began.

The other three Zidane kids, Luca, Theo, and Elyaz, have all played for Real Madrid, albeit Luca, a goalkeeper, is presently at Rayo Vallecano.

Whatever the quartet achieves, they will struggle to live up to the Zidane name, with their father widely viewed as one of the greatest footballers of all time.

Giovanni Simeone 

Age: 27

Club: Hellas Verona

Father: Diego Simeone

Despite a difficult 2018/19 season in which he scored only eight goals for Fiorentina in 40 appearances, Giovanni is demonstrating the ability to be a top European striker.

The 27-year-old has excelled elsewhere, scoring ten or more goals for Genoa and Cagliari, as well as 17 in 35 matches for Hellas Verona last season.

Giovanni has previously been connected with Atletico Madrid, coached by his father, Diego Simeone, he was linked with the club, but his father said he could not be his manager.

Erling Haaland

Age: 21

Club: Man City

Father: Alf-Inge Haaland

Erling Haaland started his professional with Bryne and Molde at his home in Norway, but his transfer to the Austrian club, RB Salzburg, in 2019 catapulted him to stardom.

The former Borussia Dortmund star scored 29 goals in 27 games for RB Salzburg, notably eight in the UEFA Champions League, securing him a transfer to Borussia Dortmund.

 The Norwegian goalscoring record at Borussia Dortmund was equally insane, as he scored 86 goals in 89 appearances for the German club, earning him a move to Etihadthis summer, where his dad also played before

Giovanni Reyna

Age: 19

Club: Borussia Dortmund

Father: Claudio Reyna

Giovanni Reyna, a Sunderland native, started playing football with New York City FC, where his dad Claudio Reyna, a former player at Sunderland, was the sporting director.

The American teen, who was christened Giovanni van Bronckhorst in honour of Claudio’s former Rangers colleague, switched to professionalism at Dortmund and has made 77 first-team appearances while netting ten goals.

Reyna is currently regarded as a critical component of Dortmund’s future, offering a youthful base with players like Jude Bellingham.

Giovanni has only earned 12 caps for the USMNT, which puts him well behind his father, who earned 112 between 1994 and 2006, ranking him as the 10th most capped player in USMNT history.

Justin Kluivert 

Age: 23

Club: Roma

Father: Patrick Kluivert

Justin Kluivert and his father Patrick Kluivert. Photo: Besoocer

Justin Kluivert emerged from the Ajax academy in the same manner as his father, Patrick.

The 23-year-old made 56 appearances across all competitions for Ajax after making his first-team breakthrough in 2017 and netting 13 goals.

The 23-year-old’s performance in 2018 secured him a spot in the Dutch team, where he went on to win his first international appearance against Portugal, 

Kluivert joined A.S. Roma in the 2018 summer at £15.16 million. However, his development has slowed somewhat after spending the previous campaign on loan at Nice.

Patrick Kluivert played for Barcelona and Ajax as a striker and is recognised as a football legend in the Netherlands and abroad. He scored 199 goals in his club career. 

Daniel Maldini

Age: 20

Club: AC Milan

Father: Paolo Maldini

In February 2020, the minor Maldini made his first appearance for AC Milan, becoming the third member of his family to play for the Rossoneri after his father and grandfather Cesare.

Daniel’s father is considered one of the best defenders to ever enjoy the game after winning five Champions League titles seven as well five Champions Leagues over the course of a career comprising more than 1,000 games both club and country.

The adolescent isn’t only gaining notice because of his family; he netted 32 goals in 67 youth matches for Milan, and he lately scored his maiden senior goal as his father was watching.

 

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