George Weah, Patrick Kluivert, Didier Drogba and Andy Cole are legends of the European game, but each of them share something else very special in common… talented offspring who’ve followed in their footsteps
With over 950 goals, 2,200 club appearances and counting – Didier Drogba is still active – and a whole load of trophies, individual accolades and awards between them, their sons have more than just a blueprint to follow. But who are they and where are they currently honing their skills?
Timothy Weah | PSG
Son of Liberia president George Weah, 18-year-old Timothy is a forward by trade like his dad. Born in the United States and part of the Paris Saint-Germain youth setup since 2014, the vocal forward signed his first professional contract with the club back in July of last year.
Earlier this month, he made his first-team debut for PSG. George played for the same club for three years back in the 90s, so you could say Timothy’s literally following the path laid out by his famous father. George was the first and remains the only Ballon d’Or winner to come from Africa after winning the award in 1995.
Whether Timothy can achieve Ballon d’Or successful remains to be seen, but it’s safe to say the young talent is set on doing things his way. Like his father, Timothy also has interests away from football. Music seems to be another passion for the young American who’s one half of trap rap duo Self Made.
Justin Kluivert | Ajax
The name Kluivert is synonymous with the greats of Dutch football due to the feats Patrick achieved as a player, enjoying huge success with Ajax, Barcelona and the Dutch national team. The Kluivert legacy lives on with the arrival of Justin who, like his father, is embarking on his pro career at Ajax.
Patrick may have been a former all-time leading scorer for the Dutch national team, but his son Justin, 18, also a striker, has already accomplished something he was unable to during his time in the Eredivisie: score a hat-trick. Justin managed the feat earlier this season in a classy display, helping his side see off Roda JC.
Since making his first-team debut and opening his goalscoring account for the Amsterdam club last season, Justin has been ever present in the Ajax side and was recently called up to the Dutch senior team for the first time. Ajax are famous for producing and nurturing young talent, so everything is in place for the young Dutchman to go on and have a successful career.
Isaac Drogba | Guingamp
His father Didier has played club football all over the world and is currently in America where he’s set to retire at the end of this MLS campaign, but 17-year-old Isaac is just starting out on his football journey.
The forward, like his father, recently signed for French Ligue 1 side Guingamp, with the club announcing on Twitter that he will be part of the under-19 academy setup. Before Didier was a household name, the Ivorian legend spent a-season-and-a-half at Guingamp before moving to Marseille and then Chelsea, where he would go on to make history.
Will French-born Isaac represent Ivory Coast, the nation where his dad is immortalised? Or what about Mali, the birthplace of his mother? If he’s half the player Didier was, whichever nation he pledges his allegiance to will have quite a player on their hands.
Devante Cole | Wigan
A five-time Premier League winner, two-time FA Cup winner and a Champions League winner at Manchester United, Andy Cole is undoubtedly one of the greats of English football and someone son Devante can look to for inspiration.
A member of the Manchester City academy from the age of nine, Devante played his way through the youth ranks, but never made a senior appearance for the club. The striker was shipped out on loan to Barnsley and Milton Keynes – both in League One at the time – and managed to score some goals during those stints before City released him in 2015.
Now 22 and at his sixth club in four seasons, Devante, who represented England at under-16, -17, -18 and -19 level, will be hoping to find his way at Wigan after joining the club in January. He also has interests away from the field after recently launching his own clothing label 4 4 L D N.
Honourable mentions
Roger Lukaku, father of Manchester United’s Romelu and Lazio’s Jordan, was a professional who played for clubs in Africa, Belgium and Turkey. Internationally he represented Zaire, now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Celtic and Sweden hero Henrik Larsson’s son Jordan, 20, is currently playing in Sweden with IFK Norrkoping. The two briefly played alongside each other back in 2013 for Swedish fourth division side Hogaborgs BK.
Souleymane Sane, father of Manchester City and Germany winger Leroy, was an international footballer for Senegal. The forward played his club football in a whole host of European countries including Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
Abedi Pele Ayew, father of Andre and Jordan, both at Swansea, is a former Ghana captain. The Champions League winner with Marseille is regarded as one of the pioneers of African football in Europe after enjoying spells at clubs in France, Germany and Italy.
Words by EugeneOEA
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