How Do The Sons Of Great Footballers Fare In Their Own Careers?

Players are constantly under pressure. Some are weighed down by it like an anchor, others thrive under it, using it as a catalyst to perform well. Playing in front of thousands, being watched by millions and being judged on the most critical of stages can break even the strongest of men. Any additional stress, apart from what comes with the job, can be a death blow to any player’s career. 

But that’s exactly what thousands of sons of famous soccer players have had to deal with while pursuing the careers of their fathers.

The two most recognizable names in the world right now are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. As their games have grown to transcendental levels, their personal lives have in turn been flung into the limelight by virtue of the society we live in. 

Their relationships, their living arrangements and their families are constantly under a microscope. Both Messi and Ronaldo have sons, and people began speculating about how good they’ll be at soccer before they even made it out of the womb. 

Thiago Messi, Mateo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo Jr. are already bearing the burden of being expected to follow in their dads’ footsteps, all before they can barely even kick around a ball. We’re years from seeing whether they can reproduce a semblance of the success their legendary fathers achieved, that is, if they even decide to pursue a career in the sport. 

Every case is different, though. There are monumental stars whose parents were not big-time players or never played. There are the sons of soccer stars who weren’t or aren’t able to reproduce the same skills by way of heredity. There are the ones who live up to the colossal hype that comes from being born into soccer nobility. 

Let’s see which sons most closely replicated the success of their fathers, and which ones fell furthest from the tree.

Players That Replicated The Success Of Their Fathers

Players That Look Likely To Replicate Some Of Their Father's Success

Players That Don't Look Likely To Replicate Their Father's Success

Players Who Did Not Come Close To Replicating Their Father