The love of football is certainly something that gets passed down amongst generations. Here are 20 famous footballers whose kids are following in their footsteps at professional level!
Whereas you will more than likely recognise every one of these famous former footballers names on our list, it may surprise you to learn of some of their kids who are also enjoying successful careers in the sport.
Take a look at our list below, and see just how many of these young players who are continuing their father’s legacy in the game you recognise!
20) Isaac Drogba
Chelsea fans, and moreover Premier League fans alike will need no introduction to the name Drogba.
Isaac’s father, Didier, is a Blue’s legend and has been referred to as the ‘ultimate big game player’ – scoring 10 goals in 10 finals and winning 10 trophies at club level. Didier was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2022.
Isaac, 23, has carried on his father’s love for the game, and currently plays for UR La Louvière Centre, a Belgian Association club. Isaac had previously enjoyed stints in French, Italian, and Portuguese football leagues after leaving Chelsea’s youth academy in 2019.
19) Maurizio Pochettino
No, we haven’t spelled the Chelsea boss’s name incorrectly.
Maurizio Pochettino, 23, is former pro footballer Mauricio Pochettino’s son, and their likeness doesn’t end with their almost identical names – Maurizio has inherited his father’s love for the game a well.
As many of you will be aware, Mauricio enjoyed a successful football career with the likes of Espanyol, Paris St Germain, Newell’s Old Boys, and Bordeaux, as well as representing his nation of Argentina.
Maurizio is following on the legacy of his father and currently plays for Spanish side Gimnàstic de Tarragona. Maurizio began his youth career within Southampton and Tottenham’s academies, before making a move to Watford in 2021.
18) Charlie Savage
Charlie William Henry savage is the son of footballer-turned-pundit Robbie Savage.
Savage Sr began his own footballing career within the ranks of Manchester United’s Youth Academy, graduating to the first team for the 1993/1994 season but making 0 appearances.
The Welsh midfielder moved on to a successful career nonetheless, most notably with Leicester City and Derby County, where he made 172 and 124 appearances respectively.
Charlie has followed closely in his father’s footsteps, beginning his own career within Manchester United’s Youth academy before moving on to Forest Green Rovers, and now Reading FC.
17) Mitchel Bergkamp
Bergkamp is a name that undoubtedly brings a smile to Arsenal fans even today.
Dutch forward Dennis blessed their side with 315 appearances and 87 goals between 1995-2006, and was a part of their ‘Invincibles’ squad of 2003/2004. Prior to his move to London, Bergkamp had enjoyed 185 appearances and 103 goals with Ajax, as well as 52 appearances and 11 goals for Inter Milan.
Mitchel Bergkamp has inherited his father’s love of the game, and currently plays for Bromley where he has made 9 appearances and scored once so far.
Before Bromley, Mitchel played amongst Dutch side Almere City Football Club, where he started his Youth career, as well as a stint with Watford.
16) Elyaz, Luca, and Théo Zidane
Zidane. Whether that head butt, or some of the silkiest midfield work you’ve ever seen springs to mind at the mention, Zidane is a name that requires no introduction.
Zinedine’s incredible career playing for Cannes, Bordeaux, Juventus, and finally Real Madrid is one of the most successful in the business.
506 appearances and 95 goals at club level, alongside 108 appearances and 31 goals for France sealed this man’s place in the history books long before that famous head butt came into play!
Zinedine won Serie A with Juventus, La Liga with Real Madrid, and the World Cup with France, and even went on to manage Real Madrid between 2016-2021.
And when it comes to having someone to continue this legacy, Zinedine is in no short supply!
Of his 4 sons: Luca, Elyaz, Théo and Enzo – all 4 have had footballing careers, with 3 of them still active!
Enzo enjoyed stints as a midfielder between 2014-2023 with Real Madrid, Alavés, and Fuenlabrada to name a few, before hanging up his boots last year.
Luca, a goalkeeper, also began his career with Real Madrid, before moving to Rayo Vallecano, and eventually Sociedad Deportiva Eibar where he plays currently.
Théo, like Enzo, has followed his dad’s footsteps directly into the midfield. He bang his career with Deportivo Canillas, before making his way to Real Madrid, where he remains currently. He has made 88 appearances for Los Blancos and scored three times so far.
Elyaz, like Théo, began his career with Casillas before moving on to Real Madrid, and then Real Betis, all at youth level. The defender currently plays for Betis Deportivo Balompié where he has made 4 appearances so far.
15) Justin, Ruben, Shane, and Quincy Kluivert
Yet another former professional footballer who has no shortage of children to carry on his legacy is Dutch forward Patrick Kluivert.
Patrick played for no small amount of high-profile sides, with his career spent with Ajax, AC Milan, Barcelona, Newcastle United, Valencia, PSV, and Lille.
He made 343 appearances and scored 149 goals over the course of his club career, as well as representing Netherlands 79 times and scoring on 40 of those occasions.
Patrick has 4 sons, all of whom have followed in his footsteps – Justin, Ruben, Shane, and Quincy.
Justin, 24, began his career with Ajax, before moving on to Roma, RB Leipzig, Nice, Valencia, and currently AFC Bournemouth. He has also represented Netherlands from U17’s right up to the first team. He plays as a forward / winger.
Ruben, 22, plays on the opposite end of the pitch to his father, as a defender he began his career with Amsterdamsche Football Club, before moving on to Utrecht, and then Dordrecht, where he plays currently.
Shane, 16, began his youth career at Sportclub Buitenveldert, before moving on to Paris St Germain and then Barcelona, where he plays currently. Shane is a forward, and has also represented Netherlands at U16 and U17 level.
Quincy, 26, has spent his career between Ajax and Amsterdamsche sides, as a defender like his brother Ruben. He currently has no club, but is still registered as an active player.
14) Khéphren and Marcus Thuram
Lilian Thuram was a French defender who made his name playing for Monaco, Parma, Juventus, and Barcelona. He also represented France 142 times, winning a FIFA World Cup and even registering 2 goals for his nation.
His 2 sons, Khéphren and Marcus, have also taken to the beautiful game on their own career paths.
Khéphren, 23, rose through Monaco’s ranks after graduating from their youth academy, before moving on to Nice and doing the same. He plays as a midfielder and has so far made 154 appearances and scored 10 times at club level. He has also represented France from U16 right through to the first team.
Marcus, 26, began his senior career with Sochaux before moving on to Guingamp, Borussia Mönchengladbach, and then Inter Milan, where he plays currently. The forward has made over 250 appearances at club level and scored 65+ goals, and has also represented France from U17 up to first team, scoring 11 times for his country.
13) Harvey Neville
Harvey Neville is a defender, following in the footsteps of his famous father Phil.
Phil Neville and his brother Gary were each a part of Manchester United’s incredible success during the Alex Ferguson years, with Phil making over 260 appearances for United between 1994-2005. He eventually moved on to Everton between 2005-2013, where he made a further 240+ appearances.
Both Neville brothers also represented England, with Phil earning 59 senior caps for his country.
His son, Harvey, has followed in his footsteps and become a professional defender himself.
Harvey, 21, began his career within Manchester United’s youth academy, before moving on to Inter Miami in 2021 to begin his senior career. He spent 2 years with Miami, making 53 appearances, before moving on to Portland Timbers this year.
Harvey has also played at International level, though he represented Republic of Ireland instead of England like his father – something he can do due to his maternal Grandmother’s heritage.
12) Joe van der Sar
Next up on our list is the son of former Man United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar.
Arguably one of the most popular shot-stoppers to ever wear the United shirt, Edwin made 186 appearances for the Red Devils, after having spent time with Ajax, Juventus, and Fulham.
At international level, Edwin represented Netherlands 130 times between 1995-2008.
Joe, 26, followed on from his father’s legacy by becoming a professional goalkeeper as well – hardly surprising considering the teacher he had at home.
Joe began his career at College level in America, playing for Pittsburgh Panthers between 2021-2022, before moving on to ADO Den Haag, RKC Waalwijk, VV Noordwijk, and then Koninklijke HFC, where he plays currently.
11) Sveinn, Andri, and Daniel Guðjohnsen
Eidur Guðjohnsen played over 500 professional matches at club level for a plethora of sides, most notably including Chelsea FC and Barcelona. The Icelandic forward’s 20 year career saw him score 114 goals at club level, as well as 26 times from 88 International appearances for Iceland.
The pro footballer’s kids, Sveinn, Andri, and Daniel, have continued his legacy.
Sveinn, 25, began his youth career with Barcelona, before his senior career playing with sides such as Spezia and Elfsborg. He is a forward like his father, and has scored 29 times at club level, and 13 times for Iceland, with over 53 appearances ranging from U17 to first team level.
Andri, 22, also began his youth career in Barcelona, before moving on to Real Madrid, IFK Norrköping, and Lyngby BK at senior level. He too is a striker, and has repented Iceland between U16 and first team level, scoring 20 times.
Daniel, 18, went through Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Malmo’s youth academies, before joining Malmo FF on a full contract to begin his senior career. The forward has made just one appearance so far for the side, but has represented Iceland from U16 – U19 level 17 times and scored 5 goals for his country.
10) James Carragher
Another name that may have made you look twice – James Carragher is the son of former Liverpool man turned pundit, Jamie Carragher.
Jamie was Liverpool through and through, with the defender coming up through their academy ranks between 1988-1997, before graduating to first team status, where he played right up until 2013.
Jamie boasts 508 appearances for Liverpool, including 3 goals, and has won the Champions League and FA Cup alongside various other silverware with the club. He has also represented England between U20 and senior level 69 times and even found the back of the net on two of those occasions.
James has continued to ply his father’s trade, also pursuing a career as a defender.
He began his youth career with Liverpool like his father, before moving to Wigan Athletic’s youth programme. He graduated to Wigan’s first side in 2021 and has been on loan to Oldham Athletic and Inverness Caledonian Thistle since.
9) Daniel Maldini
Paolo Maldini’s name will be forever held in reverence amongst AC Milan fans, with the Italian defender’s entire playing career spent with the club.
Joining and rising through their youth academy ranks between 1978-1984, Maldini finally broke into the first team in 1984. He made no less than 647 appearances for AC during his career, winning the Serie A Championship 7 times alongside 5 Champions League / European Cup titles.
He also represented Italy between 1986-2002, and despite being a defender registered 29 goals for his club alongside 12 for his country.
His love for the game was passed on to both his sons, Daniel and Christian – with Daniel still an active player in the game.
Daniel began his career where his father did, in the ranks of AC Milan’s youth academy. He plays as an attacking midfielder and has made 15 appearances for AC, scoring once.
Since 2022, Daniel has been on several loan spells with Spezia, Empoli, and Monza, but remains with AC Milan for the time being.
Christian also began his career with AC Milan, before spending his career with several other Italian clubs and hanging his boots up after last season.
8) Benjani Mwaruwari Jr
It’s not just his the name that our next entrant has inherited from his famous father, Benjani Mwaruwari Sr, but his love and talent for football too.
Benjani Sr was a Zimbabwean striker who, over the course of a long and varied career, spent time with Manchester City, Blackburn Rovers, and Portsmouth.
He made 303 appearances and scored 68 times in his club career, and also represented Zimbabwe 42 times between 1999-2010, scoring 10 goals for his country.
His 19-year-old son, Benjani Jr, is also a forward, beginning his career with Portsmouth. After enjoying stints with Yeovil, Dorchester, and Sherborne Town, he made his way to Melksham, where he plays still.
7) Yiassin Touré
Touré is a name that Premier League fans will not likely have forgotten. Brothers Kolo and Yaya lit up the league with the likes of Man City, Arsenal, and Liverpool, providing us many years of entertainment.
Kolo played 353 matches combined for Arsenal, Man City, and Liverpool, scoring 12 times despite being a centre back. He also earned 120 caps for Ivory Coast between 2000-2015, netting 7 times for his country.
Kolo’s son, Yiassin, has followed in his father’s footsteps with a football career of his own.
Yiassin, 18, began his career with Celtic’s youth academy at the age of 12, before moving on to Leicester City’s academy at 16. Yiassin hasn’t followed directly in his father’s footsteps, playing as a right winger as opposed to defence, but has a promising career ahead of him.
6) Etienne Eto’o
Samuel Eto’o will be remembered as one of the most successful Cameroonian footballers in the history of the game, enjoying a career which saw him represent clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan, and Chelsea.
Playing as a striker, Samuel made 587 appearances and scored 293 times at club level, and also represented Cameroon on 118 occasions, scoring 56 times for his nation.
His 21-year-old son, Etienne, is looking to follow in his father’s footsteps with his own career as a striker.
Having started out with RCD Mallorca’s youth academy, Etienne played for a couple more Spanish clubs, as well as Portuguese side Guimarães, before joining UD Poblense, where he plays currently.
5) Rivaldinho
Rivaldo Vítor Mosca Ferreira Júnior, commonly known as Rivaldinho, is the son of famous Brazilian footballer Rivaldo Vítor Borba Ferreira, simply referred to as Rivaldo.
Rivaldo is perhaps best known for his time at Barcelona, where he made 157 appearances as an attacking midfielder, scoring 86 times for the club. Following his time with Barcelona, he also enjoyed a stint with AC Milan where he made 22 appearances and scored 5 times.
In total over his career, Rivaldo made 481 club appearances and scored 227 goals, as well as representing Brazil 90 times between 1992-2003, scoring 37 goals for his nation.
The former pro footballer’s son, Rivaldinho, 29, also plays as a forward, beginning his career with Brazilian side Mogi Mirim, before plying his trade across several Bulgarian and Romanian sides. He has made over 200 club appearances and scored 36 times, and currently plays for Romanian side FCV Farul Constanța.
4) Noah & Karna Solskjær
Noah & Karna’s father, Ole Gunnar Solskjær is a name no Man United fan will have likely forgotten.
235 appearances and 91 goals for the club, many of them being game-winners, made Ole Gunnar something of a United legend between 1996-2007. After ending his playing career with the club, he even went on to manage their reserve side, and eventually their first team for a while.
Both his sons, and his daughter also took football into their hearts, with Noah and Karna still actively playing, and Elijah having hung up his boots already.
Noah Solskjær, 23, began his career with Norwegian side Kristiansund BK, before moving on to Spjelkavik, and then Aalesunds, where he plays currently as a striker.
Karna, 21, plies her trade as a forward also, having started out with Manchester United’s academy. She played for Clausenengen FK, before moving to Manchester United’s senior team, and then on to Norwegian side AaFK Fortuna, where she plays currently.
3) Henry Wise
Henry’s famous father, Dennis Wise, played his entire football career in the English game, most notably with Chelsea, whom he made 332 appearances and scored 53 goals for.
The midfielder also represented the likes of Wimbledon, Leicester City, and Millwall over a career that saw him make 593 club appearances and score 95 times. Dennis also represented England between 1988-2000, making 25 appearances and scoring twice for his country.
Henry, 24, followed in his father’s footsteps as a midfielder, beginning his youth career with Queen’s Park Rangers, before moving to Arsenal, and then Derby’s youth academies.
His senior career began with Watford in the 2019/2020 season, before moving to New York Red Bulls II for the 2022/2023 season, where he has made 14 appearances thus far.
2) Damián van der Vaart
Son of midfield maestro Rafael and er Vaart, Damián continues his father’s legacy from the centre of the park himself.
Rafael played for the likes of Real Madrid, Tottenham, and Hamburger SV, in a career which saw him make over 400 club appearances and score 135 times. He also represented the Netherlands between 1998-2013, earning 134 caps and scoring 34 times for his country.
Damián van der Vaart, 17, began his career with Hamburg-based side SC Victoria, before moving to Danish side Esbjerg, then joining Ajax in 2023, where he plays currently.
1) Jaden & Reigan Heskey
Emile Heskey is a name English football fans will remember fondly.
The English striker’s incredible career saw him make 633 club appearances and score over 130 goals for the likes of Leicester City, Liverpool, Birmingham City, and Aston Villa, to name but a few.
He also represented England 92 times between 1994-2010, scoring 19 goals for his country.
His sons, Jaden and Reigan, have both inherited the football bug from their father, with each aiming for successful careers of their own in the game.
Jaden, 18, currently plays for Manchester City U18’s, having risen through their youth academy. He has played in the FA Youth Cup, U18 Premier League, and the UEFA Youth League, and currently has 11 goals for City’s youth.
Reigan, 16, also plays for Man City’s youth side, plying his trade in the U18 Premier League this season where he has made 3 appearances so far.
Both of Emile Heskey’s kids play at the front end of the park like their father, and with full careers ahead of them may well surpass his goal tally one day!
So there you have our list of 20 famous former footballers whose kids have followed on in their footsteps. Enjoy this list? Why not check out our list of 10 modern footballers who smoked.
