When Erling Haaland scored on his FIFA World Cup debut for Norway against Iraq, he continued a family story that began more than three decades earlier.
Back in 1994, his father, Alf-Inge Haaland, represented Norway at the World Cup in the United States. Now, with the tournament returning to North America in 2026, another Haaland has arrived on football’s biggest stage.
It is one of several remarkable father-son stories unfolding at this World Cup.
The tournament has always been about generations. Families gather around televisions, pass down allegiances and relive memories across decades. Occasionally, those generations meet on the pitch itself.
The 2026 World Cup has become a celebration of that tradition, with sons of former World Cup players now creating their own chapters in football history.
The sons carrying famous surnames
The Haalands are far from alone. For France, Marcus Thuram continues a journey that began with his father, Lilian Thuram, one of the heroes of France’s 1998 World Cup triumph. Lilian made 16 World Cup appearances across three tournaments and remains one of the most influential defenders of his generation.
Marcus, born during his father’s playing career in Italy and named after Jamaican activist Marcus Garvey, has now established himself as part of France’s modern attacking core.
The United States has two father-son stories of its own. Giovanni Reyna follows in the footsteps of former US captain Claudio Reyna, who played in four World Cups between 1994 and 2006.
Meanwhile, Sebastian Berhalter has joined a select group after making his World Cup appearance more than two decades after his father, Gregg Berhalter, represented the United States in 2002.
For Norway, another family connection has emerged through Kristian Thorstvedt. His father, Erik Thorstvedt, was Norway’s goalkeeper during the country’s memorable World Cup campaign in 1994.
Beyond the shadow of football royalty
Among the most intriguing stories of the tournament belongs to Luca Zidane. The goalkeeper carries one of football’s most famous surnames.
His father, Zinedine Zidane, inspired France to World Cup glory in 1998 and remains one of the defining figures in modern football history. Luca’s path has been different.
Representing Algeria rather than France, he arrived at the World Cup carrying both the weight of expectation and the opportunity to forge his own identity. Every touch, every save and every appearance has inevitably invited comparisons with his father, but his presence at the tournament has also expanded one of football’s most iconic family legacies.
From Europe to Asia, the legacy continues
The phenomenon stretches across continents.
Portugal’s Francisco Conceição is following the trail blazed by his father, Sérgio Conceição, who appeared at the 2002 World Cup.
South Korea’s Lee Tae-seok has emulated his father, Lee Eul-yong, a member of the country’s famous 2002 generation.
Sweden’s Anthony Elanga has added another chapter to a family football story after his father, Joseph Elanga, was part of Cameroon’s 1998 World Cup squad.
And Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn has followed father Bryan Gunn into the tournament, even though Bryan never made a World Cup appearance despite being part of Scotland’s squad in 1990.
A World Cup tradition stretching back nearly a century
Father-son World Cup stories are not unique to 2026. The tournament’s history is filled with family legacies.
The Maldinis remain perhaps the most famous example. Cesare Maldini represented Italy in 1962 before his son, Paolo Maldini, became one of the greatest defenders in football history through four World Cup campaigns.
Uruguay’s Pablo Forlán and Diego Forlán produced another iconic pairing, while France’s Jean Djorkaeff and Youri Djorkaeff both left their mark on the global stage.
Spain has produced multiple generations too, from Miguel Ángel Alonso and Xabi Alonso to the Vantolrà family, whose World Cup appearances were separated by more than three decades and two different national teams.
Why these stories resonate
Football increasingly operates in an era of academies, data analysis and global scouting networks. Yet family influence remains one of the sport’s most enduring forces.
Many of the players appearing in the 2026 World Cup grew up with stories few others could imagine. Their fathers had already experienced the pressure of a World Cup anthem, the scrutiny of global audiences and the weight of representing a nation.
Some inherited talent. Others inherited expectations. All inherited a connection to football’s most prestigious tournament.
As the World Cup continues across North America, new records will be broken and new stars will emerge. But some of the tournament’s most compelling stories may remain about sons following fathers onto the same stage, sometimes decades apart, proving that for all its evolution, the World Cup remains football’s ultimate family affair.