Renowned sports journalist and commentator Carlo Pellegatti shared his thoughts on the topic of athletes who follow in their parents` footsteps in an interview with scommesse.io.
Here`s what he stated:
“The apple doesn`t fall far from the tree! It`s an old proverb that remains relevant, with a clear meaning. The characteristics of parents, whether good or bad, are often inherited by their children. This saying is consistently proven true, especially in sports.”
In Sports
Federica Brignone, a multi-champion skier currently sidelined due to a serious injury, is the daughter of Maria Rosa Quario, better known as Ninna, a prominent slalom specialist in the 1980s. Fiona May, a two-time world long jump champion in 1995 and 2001, is the mother of young Larissa, already a European vice-champion in the same discipline. In basketball, Danilo Gallinari, a key player in the NBA since 2011, is the son of Vittorio Gallinari, who won four Italian league titles and a European Champions Cup with Olimpia Milano.
Legends: The Maldini and Mazzola Families
These are just a few examples, and they are even more numerous in football. The most striking and legendary story, which could continue to unfold, is that of Cesare, Paolo, and Daniel Maldini. An unprecedented three generations of footballers who have starred for the same club, AC Milan. A unique case in world football history, as never before have a father and son both lifted the Champions League trophy. Both under English skies, both in Milan`s red and black colors, forty years apart. A wonderful legacy that the latest in the dynasty, Daniel, will try to carry on, having already made his debut for the national team. It`s a heavy burden, which also affects judgments, as seen after Italy`s recent defeat in the Nations League. It`s pressure that the boy, born in 2001, is used to living with, but it could be the motivation to constantly improve.
Staying in Milan, another saga with a legendary flavor is that of the Mazzola family, made even more legendary by the tragic loss of a champion loved throughout Italy, Valentino Mazzola, a symbol of Grande Torino, who perished in Superga, winner of four league titles and an Italian Cup. Sandro inherited his father`s charisma, winning spirit, and loyalty to the jersey, leading him to win four championships, two European Cups, and two Intercontinental Cups in his sixteen years with Inter Milan.
Goalkeepers… of Art
Even more extraordinary are the stories of fathers and sons who play as goalkeepers. We recall the Schmeichels, Peter and Kasper. Father Peter was one of the most formidable figures in the Premier League with Manchester United, as well as with his national team Denmark, winners of a European Championship. Kasper has won fewer trophies in quantity, but he was the goalkeeper during Leicester City`s incredible Premier League triumph under Claudio Ranieri. In Italy, we remember the remarkable story of Roberto Sorrentino and his son Stefano, both outstanding goalkeepers who defended the goals for Catania, Cagliari, and Bologna (father), and Torino, AEK Athens, Palermo, and Chievo (son).
The Exception
Louis Thomas Buffon, son of Gigi, one of the greatest goalkeepers in football history, did not follow in his father`s footsteps. The seventeen-year-old even switched national allegiance, seeking his path with the Czech Republic, his mother Alena Seredova`s homeland. No goalkeeping for him, but he is shining at Pisa, coached by Pippo Inzaghi, as a winger.
Three Chiesas
Instead, Enrico and Federico Chiesa share the same role, dribbling skills, speed, goal-scoring instinct, and formidable shots. With Crespo, father Enrico formed one of the most spectacular attacking partnerships in Italian football at Parma. Another Chiesa is trying to follow in the footsteps of his father and brother. It`s young Lorenzo, twenty-one years old, also a forward, who plays for Sampdoria Under 20. We await him on the grand stages of Serie A.
A Defender, a Midfielder, a Forward
Continuing to remember great Parma players, we must not forget Lilian Thuram, a brilliant defender, World Cup champion with France in 1998. His two sons, Marcus and Khephren, play in different positions. Marcus, the Inter player, is one of the most prolific forwards in European football, while Khephren, the Juventus player, is a midfielder known for strength and running. Who does Lilian support? He has already confessed. His past, including Juventus, leads him to cheer for Khephren.
Weah, Conceicao, Simeone
Timothy Weah, son of the great George, the unforgettable center-forward for Milan, PSG, and Monaco, also plays for Juventus. However, young Weah is a midfielder, although he has inherited his father`s good sense of goal. We could continue listing examples, remembering the Conceicaos, Sergio and Francisco. Or the Simeones, even three of them: Diego `Cholo`, Giovanni `Cholito`, and the youngest Giuliano.
In conclusion, these apples always fall close to their tree, and they are apples that fans savor, generation after generation, story after story, legend after legend.”