Photos : Romeo Beckham, Theo Zidane: The footballers following in their famous fathers' footsteps
There has always been a group of well-known stars in history whose last names sound familiar. These athletes from the second generation will unavoidably face criticism and expectations from others over their father's accomplishments. Some people rise to the occasion and defy the odds, while others give in to peer pressure and fail to establish themselves. Here are the top ten football players in the world whose fathers are extremely well-known.
Joe van der Sar is the son of the world-class shot-stopper Edwin van der Sar. The Dutch goalkeeper, 24, joined Manchester United, following in his father's footsteps. Edwin himself spent six years of playing with that club before 2011.
Joe went to Noordwijk after his brief stay at Manchester United. He then moved to Ajax with his father as a manager, but eventually returned to Noordwijk. Edwin van der Sar made his own professional debut at Ajax and even contributed to their success in the 1995 UEFA Champion's League.
Harvey Neville's father, Phil Neville, was a former England international player. Phil began his profession career at United, and then moved around to quite a lot of teams. He went to Manchester City in 2013, then joined Valencia when his father and uncle took over the same team. He went back to United in 2018, but then ended up going to join the Republic of Ireland's U19 team in October 2019.
Harvey is currently a right-back for Inter Miami II, Inter Miami CF's reserve team, in the MLS Next Pro league. It's interesting to note that his father, an elite EPL defender in the past, is currently in charge of the Miami team.
Maxim Gullit is a professional football player for Cambuur who was born on May 20, 2001. Ruud Gullit, a retired Netherlands international, is his father.
Maxim appears to have a long way to go before he can achieve the rockstar status of his father Ruud. Ruud was considered one of the world's best players in his prime because of his extraordinary power, agility, and intellect.
Khephren Thuram, a professional football player, was born on March 26, 2001. The son of the football icon is a defensive midfielder, but he can also play at the back when needed.
His father, Lilian Thuram, was a former French international player.
Talented football player Justin Kluivert was born on May 5, 1999, and is now on loan from Serie A team Roma to La Liga team Valencia. He is a member of the Dutch national squad as well. After making his Ajax debut in January 2017, Patrick Kluivert's son quickly won over the fans.
Patrick Kluivert is renowned because he was the youngest player to score in a Champions League final in 1995. He was just 18 years old then.
Son of former Chelsea and Ivory Coast striker Didier, Isaac Drogba was born on December 15, 2001. He plays as an attacker for Coimbra B, a Portuguese minnow team.
As he attempts to make a name for himself in the Italian fourth division, Isaac Drogba will be aiming to follow in the footsteps of his father Didier—who is known for being one of the most prolific African football players in history.
Charlie Savage is a Welsh football player who plays as a midfielder for Manchester United. He was born on May 2, 2003. He has played youth international football for Wales and is the son of former Welsh international Robbie Savage.
His father Robbie has had a stellar career in football. He started out as a midfielder and since he's retired from playing the sport he is the director at Macclesfield F.C.
Theo Zidane was born on May 18, 2002, and is a professional midfielder for Real Madrid Castilla and a young international for France. Expectations are high for the French professional football manager and former player Zinedine Zidane's son.
He started working out with Real Madrid's starting lineup in February 2021, when his father was the team's manager. Theo, who is now 21, has been working hard at Real Madrid Castilla.
Romeo Beckham, who is on loan from Inter Miami II, is a teenage forward for Brentford B. The English professional football player is the second child of former England international captain David Beckham, he was born in 2002. Romeo Beckham aspires to become a successful football player and wants to follow in his father's footsteps.
One of the greatest football players of all time, Romeo Beckham's father played for Manchester United for more than ten years. As a former captain of England, he was the recipient of numerous awards including six Premier League championships. Romeo Beckham plays forward for Inter Miami CF, where his father owns a share of the team.
Jordan Larsson, a Swedish professional football player, is playing forward for Copenhagen Danish club. Born on June 20, 1997, Jordan Larsson is the son of Henrik Larsson, a former professional football player.
Throughout his career, Larsson Sr. played for major league teams as well as the Swedish national football team. Having won numerous honours, he is considered as one of the greatest Swedish players of all time.
Peter Schmeichel's son, the former Danish goalie, was born on 5 November 1986. After attending the Estoril youth program, Schmeichel junior started his professional football career. In 2002, he signed a long-term contract to play with Manchester City. He is among the top goalkeepers currently playing for the Danish national team, much like his father.
The most famous goalie who ever played for Manchester United for several years was Peter Schmeichel, Kasper's father. In 1992 and 1993, Peter Schmeichel was named the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper. In addition, he was one of the twentieth century's top ten goalkeepers.
Daniel Maldini, a 21-year-old offensive midfielder for AC Milan, is the son of Paolo Maldini, an Italian former professional football player. In 2010, Maldini became a part of Milan's youth system. He is currently enjoying a successful loan stint from AC Milan to the Serie A team Spezia.
Paolo Maldini is recognized as one of the all-time great defenders and played for Milan for all 25 seasons of his illustrious career in Serie A. Paolo Maldini, also known as ‘Il Capitano’ or ‘The Captain,’ is still remembered as a legendary AC Milan and Italy captain.
Timothy Weah, who was born on February 22, 2000, joined Paris Saint-Germain as a professional player in 2018. He is the son of George Weah, the former Ballon d'Or winner and professional football player. Timothy Weah became a winger for both Lille of Ligue 1 and the United States national team after leaving Paris Saint-Germain.
George Weah is a legendary football player and Timothy's father. Because of his extraordinary talent, he was chosen as the 1995 African, European, and World Player of the Year. George Weah entered politics after retiring, and is a former President of Liberia.
