At the 2026 World Cup, some names on the jerseys are attracting special attention. In Canada, Mexico, and the USA, several sons of former soccer greats are in the spotlight. For instance, a Zidane defended the goal for Algeria in the match against Argentina. This was Luca Zidane, the son of French soccer legend Zinédine Zidane, the 1998 World Cup champion. His son has now celebrated his World Cup debut for Algeria, as his paternal grandparents are from Algeria.
However, Luca Zidane is not the only "son of" in the tournament. Timothy Weah, for example, is part of the USA squad. His father George Weah became World Player of the Year in 1995 and won the Ballon d'Or. He became French champion and cup winner with Paris Saint-Germain, and also won the Italian championship twice with AC Milan. He later became President of Liberia.
Leroy Sané also has a famous soccer player father
For France, Marcus Thuram, the son of Lilian Thuram, who became World Cup champion in 1998 and European champion in 2000, is playing. With 142 international matches, he was the French record international player for a long time. There is also a well-known example in Germany: Leroy Sané is the son of Souleymane Sané, who played in the Bundesliga in the 1990s and was a national player for Senegal.
In the Netherlands, Justin Kluivert continues the family history of Patrick Kluivert, who won the Champions League with Ajax Amsterdam in 1995 and became World Cup quarterfinalist in 1998. His son has been under contract with English Premier League club AFC Bournemouth since 2023.
Giuliano Simeone was nominated for the Argentine World Cup squad. His father Diego Simeone played in three World Cups himself and has been head coach at Atlético Madrid since 2011. He has already won eight titles with the club.
A son of Abédi Pelé is playing at the 2026 World Cup
In the USA, Sebastian Berhalter is part of the squad, whose father Gregg Berhalter was once a World Cup player himself and was active in Germany for TSV 1860 Munich, among others. After his career as a soccer player, he began working as a coach. From 2018 to 2024, he coached the US national team and led the team to the Round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup.
Ghanaian center forward Jordan Ayew has also inherited his soccer talent from his father. Abédi Pelé is considered one of the best players in the history of Ghanaian soccer. His greatest achievements include winning the Champions League in 1993 with Olympique Marseille and three French championships. In Germany, Pelé also once played for TSV 1860 Munich. His other two sons, Rahim and André Ayew, have also played on the national team.
