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Kids often follow their fathers in their choice of careers and work, in the same cases. Their success at following their fathers depends on the circumstances. In cases of clear nepotism, the results can be ugly.
However, football is purely based on merit. The most a famous footballer can do for his or her child is to send them to an elite academy or coach them personally, but even with that, only the really talented kids will progress.
In this list, we take a look at father-son duos who represented the same club with distinction and absolute class. The duos on the list both had an impact at the club and were noteworthy achievers in the rest of their careers.
#5 Johan and Jordi Cruyff (Barcelona)
Johan Cruyff was undoubtedly one of the best to have played football. In fact, it would not be a stretch to claim that the Dutch Legend is probably among the greatest to have been involved with the sport. His playing success and his managerial success were on par with each other and he spent the most time at two clubs- Ajax and Barcelona.
His Barcelona days as a player fetched Johan one La Liga and a Super Cup, but he spent five seasons at the club.
His son Jordi began his youth career at Ajax, but it was at Barcelona where he broke through. Injuries and the pressure of being the manager's son put pressure on Jordi but he finished joint top scorer in his first full season with the Blaugrana in 1993. In his time, he made 54 appearances scoring 11 goals for Barca in all competitions.
He left for Manchester United, after a stop-start season and never quite became a success like his dad but was recognised as being a genuinely talented player.
#4 Miguel, Mikel and Xabi Alonso (Real Sociedad)
Miguel Alonso was a midfielder for Real Sociedad and Spain in the 1970s and '80s. A talented player, Alonso also played for Barcelona during his career. He won twenty caps for Spain, scored one goal and played in the 1982 World Cup.
He played for Sociedad 154 times and scored 25 goals and won two La Liga titles with the side. An integral part of the side, Miguel was a fan-favourite at San Sebastian.
His elder son Mikel broke through at Sociedad and was also a midfielder like his father. Between 2001 and 2008, Mikel was a part of the squad at Real Sociedad and played 104 games for them. He moved on but failed to settle anywhere till 2014 when he joined Real Union.
The youngest Alonso is also the most iconic of the trio. A year younger than his brother, his Sociedad debut came at 18 years of age. Named captain by John Toshack, Xabi became an ever-present for Sociedad over the subsequent years. He failed to win a trophy with them, but like his father represented Sociedad. Eventually, he went on to win the Champions League with Liverpool and Real Madrid.
#3 Frank Lampard and Frank Lampard Jr. (West Ham United)
Frank Lampard Sr. represented West Ham United from 1967 to 1984. He played over 500 games for the Hammers. A part of the most successful era for West Ham, he won two FA Cups in the 1970s and was one hell of a left-back.
He returned to the club after retirement in 2001 to serve as Assistant Manager under Harry Redknapp. Among the golden generation of West Ham talent that came through in the late 1990s and early 2000s was his son Frank Lampard Jr, a name more familiar to the current generation. The Chelsea legend may be remembered for his spell at Chelsea but he broke through in the Premier League in 1995 and appeared 148 times for West Ham.
He left the club in 2001, when his uncle Harry Redknapp and father Frank Sr left the club under acrimonious circumstances. The pressure of being a club legend's son influenced his decision to move across London to Chelsea and the rest, as they say, is history.
#2 Carles and Sergio Busquets (Barcelona)
Coming through the youth system, having played for Barcelona C and Barcelona B, Carles Busquets carved out a spot as the no. 2 at Barcelona.
This role was not due to a lack of ability but because of the presence of Andoni Zubizaretta, the Spanish no. 1. Carles briefly served as no. 1 for two seasons after Zubizaretta's departure. After retiring in 2002 at Lleida, he returned to Barcelona as a goalkeeping coach.
His son Sergio came through La Masia as well, appearing for Barca B before establishing himself at the heart of the midfield. A defensive midfielder who sure can pick a pass, Busquets has been an integral part of the Barca spine for the last decade or so.
Still only 29, the Spain international has a long way to go before he hangs up his boots and it would not be surprising to see him end his career as a one-club man.
#1 Cesare and Paolo Maldini (AC Milan)
Both were AC Milan legends and that speaks volumes about their contribution to the Italian club. Cesare began his career in 1952 at Triestina before moving to Milan in 1954. He stayed there for the next twelve years. He was capped 14 times for Italy and won four Scudettos and a European Cup.
An elegant defender, who could both carry the ball out and be conservative should the situation demand it, Cesare was a fan-favourite. He returned as head coach in 1972 and won a European Cup Winner's Cup in 1973. Though he was sacked in 1974, he returned for a brief spell as interim Manager in 2001, when he led Milan to a 6-0 drubbing of Inter in the Milan derby.
Paolo Maldini was even more successful than his father, starting and finishing a 24-year long career at Milan. Inheriting his father's capacity to be sound on the ball, Paolo's versatility allowed him to be deployed anywhere along the back-line.
He was a part of the Invincible Milan team between 1991 and 1992 which went 58 games unbeaten. Winning a stunning 23 trophies at Milan, Paolo served the national team with distinction as well. He donned the Azzurri kit 126 times but failed to win an International trophy.
