Like Father, Like Son: Football's Family Legacy Lives On at the FIFA World Cup

For many footballers, playing at the FIFA World Cup is the pinnacle of their career. For a select few, it's also a family tradition.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has brought together a remarkable group of father-and-son duos, with sons following in the footsteps of fathers who once represented their countries on football's biggest stage.

This year's family connections include:

Marcus Thuram – son of Lilian Thuram (France)

Angus Gunn – son of Bryan Gunn (Scotland)

Kristian Thorstvedt – son of Erik Thorstvedt (Norway)

Francisco Conceição – son of Sérgio Conceição (Portugal)

Alexander Sørloth – son of Gøran Sørloth (Norway)

Sebastian Berhalter – son of Gregg Berhalter (United States)

Justin Kluivert – son of Patrick Kluivert (Netherlands)

Giuliano Simeone – son of Diego Simeone (Argentina)

Giovanni Reyna – son of Claudio Reyna (United States)

Luca Zidane – son of Zinédine Zidane (Algeria)

Anthony Elanga – son of Joseph Elanga (Sweden)

Lee Tae-seok – son of Lee Eul-yong (South Korea)

Erling Haaland – son of Alf-Inge Haaland (Norway)

Nico Paz – son of Pablo Paz (Argentina)

Mostafa Shobair – son of Ahmed Shobair (Egypt)

While most have chosen to represent the same nation as their fathers, two players have forged a different international path.

Luca Zidane represents Algeria despite his father, Zinédine Zidane, becoming a World Cup legend with France. Likewise, Anthony Elanga wears Sweden's colours, while his father, Joseph Elanga, played for Cameroon at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

Norway, meanwhile, stands out with three father-and-son pairings at this year's tournament – the Haalands, Sørloths and Thorstvedts – highlighting just how deeply football runs through some families.

Another historic milestone belongs to Egypt. Former goalkeeper Ahmed Shobair represented the country at Italia '90 before his son, Mostafa Shobair, followed in his footsteps at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Together, they became the first father-and-son duo in FIFA World Cup history to both play as goalkeepers.

While sharing a famous surname may bring added expectations, every player still has to earn their place on football's biggest stage. The family connection may open a new chapter, but it's their own performances that will define how the story continues.

Source: Fifa