FIFA World Cup 2026: A look at sons who will be carrying their father's legacies forward
New Delhi, June 3
A total of 27 fathers and sons have featured in the FIFA World Cup so far, and the number will increase during the upcoming edition co-hosted by Mexico, the US and Canada.
Erling Haaland, Luca Zidane, Kristian Thorstvedt are among the footballers who will be aiming to make their fathers and countries proud with their performances in the upcoming edition of the marquee tournament starting from June 11 onwards.
Here are some players who are featuring in the 2026 World Cup and have also seen their fathers represent the national colours:
-Sebastian Berhalter
The midfielder is the son of Gregg Berhalter, who represented USA in the 2002 edition, where they made it to the final eight and the 2006 edition. Sebastian made it to the national side last year, scoring in a 5-1 win over Uruguay and having a strong season with the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Major League Soccer (MLS), which sealed his place in the national squad for the tournament, as per FIFA's official website.
-Francisco Conceicao
The Portuguese winger secured a win for his side over Czechia in their EURO 2024 opener and was also on the goalsheet during his team's win over Germany in the UEFA Nations League semifinals in June. He is the son of Sergio Conceicao, who played in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
-Lee Taeseok
The left-back scored the sole goal in South Korea's win over Ghana in November and represents FK Austria Wien in the club colours. He is the son of Lee Eulyong, who scored an equaliser for his side during the third-place clash against Turkiye in the FIFA World Cup 2002, which his side lost 2-3.
-Angus Gunn
Angus is a former England international at the youth level but switched teams and is now Scotland's first-choice goalie for the tournament. However, he has very little football behind him as of late, with the 30-year-old playing just 45 minutes for Nottingham Forest after recovering from a knee injury in December. His father, Bryan Gunn, was in the 1990 World Cup squad of Scotland as third-choice goalie after Jim Leighton and Andy Goram.
-Erling Haaland
Easily the most likely to make his father proud this tournament. Erling, a goal-scoring machine and a trophy collector for Manchester City, is the son of Alfie Haaland, who featured in the 1994 World Cup, where Norway edge Mexico.
-Justin Kluivert
Justin is the son of Patrick Kluivert, who appeared for the Netherlands in the 1998 World Cup campaign and was sent off on his debut against Belgium. He did score in big matches, against Argentina in the quarters, against Brazil in the semis, but the Netherlands lost the match via penalties.
Justin had a sensational season with Bournemouth in 2024/25, which helped him earn his place in the Dutch World Cup squad, and despite his injury troubles, he is still a valuable member of Ronald Koeman's set-up.
-Giuliano Simeone
Giuliano plays under his father, Diego Simeone as a part of the Spanish football club Atletico Madrid. Diego was a crucial part of the Argentine side in three World Cup appearances. In the 1998 edition, he was a part of the incident that saw England superstar David Beckham being sent off in the 1998 round of 16 match-up. Argentina went on to win that match 4-3 on penalties.
The 22-year-old Giuliano is a vital member of Atletico Madrid and a crucial part of Lionel Scaloni's Argentina squad, scoring in their 4-1 win over Brazil last year.
-Kristian Thorstvedt
The Norway midfielder earned his side the qualification by downing Italy 4-1 during the qualifiers. He is the son of the former Tottenham goalie Erik Thorstvedt, who featured in the 1994 edition, where Norway faced a group stage exit due to goals scored.
-Luca Zidane
Luca Zidane is the son of legendary French FIFA World Cup-winning icon Zinedine Zidane. He played alongside Dayot Upamecano for France at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, but has since switched allegiances and made his debut for Algeria in October.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Interesting list but I feel bad for Angus Gunn. Playing only 45 minutes before a World Cup is risky. Scotland should have gone with a more match-fit keeper. Also, Zidane's son playing for Algeria is a poetic twist given France's colonial history. 🤔
This is such a beautiful football tradition. Erling Haaland is destined for greatness, no doubt. But I'm most excited about Giuliano Simeone—playing under your own father at Atletico Madrid and now for Argentina? That's incredible discipline. Wishing all these sons the best! 🏆
From a North American perspective, Sebastian Berhalter's story is interesting. His dad Gregg was a solid player, but Sebastian needs to prove he's more than just a legacy pick. The US team is stacked with young talent—he'll have to earn his minutes. Still, cool to see MLS producing World Cup players.
Love how football runs in families. Lee Taeseok scoring for South Korea and following his dad's footsteps from 2002 World Cup—that's proper legacy. India should take notes on building such football cultures. We need more infrastructure and grassroots development. Maybe one day we'll see an Indian father-son World Cup duo! 🙏
As a football fan, I find this a bit overhyped. Not all these sons are guaranteed stars. Kristian Thorstvedt and Luca Zidane are yet to prove themselves at the highest level. Let's see how they perform under pressure. The World Cup isn't a charity
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.