5 footballers' children who are showing immense potential
Legacies in football imply a number of things. Johan Cruyff left a legacy by teaching his “Total Football” philosophy to the world. Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona created a legacy as one of the greatest sides in the world whose impact played a key role in Spain’s international domination.
Helenio Herrera popularised the famous Catenaccio system with Inter Milan in the 1960s.
Then there are the legacies which are carried on by the next of kin who, in trying to emulate their fathers, either fail and are pushed into oblivion, or succeed to extend the legacy and at times, even build a better legacy of their own.
Also read: 5 footballers who were managed by their fathers
However, the weight of expectations can prove to be too much for some players while others thrive under such pressure. Players such as Kasper Schmeichel, who won the Premier League title with Leicester last season, and Milan’s Paolo Maldini, who enjoyed an even greater career than his father, fall into the latter category.
In the current generation, there are quite a few young players trying to carry on the legacy of their illustrious fathers. On that note, let’s take a look at five of them:
#5 Ianis Hagi
To the unknown, Ianis Hagi’s father, Gheorghe Hagi is regarded as the greatest Romanian player of all time and was nicknamed the ‘Maradona of the Carpathians’, highlighting his talent. He was one of the best attacking playmakers during the 1980s and 1990s and is one of the few players to have played for eternal Spanish rivals FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.
As such, the expectations on his 18-year-old son when he decided to become a footballer are natural.
Ianis joined the Gheorghe Hagi football academy, one of the largest modern academies in South-eastern Europe, at the age of 10 and was handed his debut by his father at the tender age of 16 for FC Viitorul Constanta.
He made his first start the following year in 2015 and scored as well. After a move to Italian team ACF Fiorentina fell through in the summer, he was made the captain of the side.
However, he moved to Fiorentina in July 2016 and currently plays for the ACF Fiorentina Primavera, the U-19 team of Fiorentina. He made his first-team debut in October 2016 as a substitute.
Further, the attacking midfielder has represented Romania from the under-15 level onwards and has already scored three goals for the under-19 team. Hagi’s career trajectory so far has shown he has the potential and with effort and guidance, he can definitely go on to replicate his father’s achievements.
(Video Courtesy – miroP10 YouTube Channel)