A total of 27 father-son duos have appeared in the FIFA World Cup so far, and this number is set to increase during the upcoming 2026 edition co-hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Players such as Erling Haaland, Luca Zidane, and Kristian Thorstvedt will aim to make their fathers and countries proud in the tournament starting June 11.
Players Following in Their Fathers' Footsteps
Sebastian Berhalter
The midfielder is the son of Gregg Berhalter, who represented the USA in the 2002 World Cup (reaching the quarterfinals) and the 2006 edition. Sebastian made his national team debut last year, scoring in a 5-1 win over Uruguay, and had a strong season with the Vancouver Whitecaps in MLS, securing his place in the squad.
Francisco Conceicao
The Portuguese winger scored a winning goal against Czechia in EURO 2024 and also found the net in a UEFA Nations League semifinal win over Germany. He is the son of Sergio Conceicao, who played in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
Lee Taeseok
The left-back scored the only goal in South Korea's win over Ghana in November and plays for FK Austria Wien. He is the son of Lee Eulyong, who scored an equalizer in the 2002 World Cup third-place match against Turkey, which South Korea lost 2-3.
Angus Gunn
Angus, formerly an England youth international, switched allegiance to Scotland and is now their first-choice goalkeeper. He has played only 45 minutes for Nottingham Forest after recovering from a knee injury in December. His father, Bryan Gunn, was Scotland's third-choice goalkeeper in the 1990 World Cup.
Erling Haaland
The prolific Manchester City striker is the son of Alfie Haaland, who played for Norway in the 1994 World Cup, where they narrowly beat Mexico. Erling is expected to make his father proud with his goal-scoring prowess.
Justin Kluivert
Justin is the son of Patrick Kluivert, who played for the Netherlands in the 1998 World Cup, scoring against Argentina and Brazil but losing to Brazil on penalties. Justin had a stellar season with Bournemouth in 2024/25, earning his place in the Dutch squad despite injury concerns.
Giuliano Simeone
Giuliano plays under his father Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid. Diego was a key figure for Argentina in three World Cups, including the 1998 round of 16 match where David Beckham was sent off. Giuliano is now a vital member of Argentina's squad, having scored in a 4-1 win over Brazil last year.
Kristian Thorstvedt
The Norway midfielder helped his team qualify by defeating Italy 4-1. He is the son of former Tottenham goalkeeper Erik Thorstvedt, who played in the 1994 World Cup, where Norway exited in the group stage on goals scored.
Luca Zidane
Luca is the son of French legend Zinedine Zidane, who won the 1998 World Cup. Luca played for France at the U-20 World Cup but has since switched allegiance to Algeria, making his debut for them in October.
