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Pulse Sports reveals a list of sons handed their debuts by their footballing fathers.
In football, some careers are launched not just by talent but by family ties.
A handful of players, like Luca Zidane and Darren Ferguson, were handed their professional debuts by their footballing fathers, creating memorable father-son moments in the sport.
These debuts often reflect a blend of legacy and ambition, with the fathers trusting their sons to carry the family name forward on the pitch.
From top clubs to lower leagues, Pulse Sports explores seven such players who began their professional journeys with the help of their footballing fathers.
Luca Zidane
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Luca's legendary father Zinedine Zidane came to manage Real Madrid, and became Luca's manager early in his career.
Luca made his professional debut for Real Madrid in their last league game of the 2017–18 season: a 2–2 La Liga tie with Villarreal CF on 19 May 2018.
During the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League, he was the third-choice goalkeeper, when Madrid won their third consecutive and 13th overall Champions League title.
He currently plays for Spanish Segunda team Granada FC.
Harvey Neville
Born on 26 June 2002, Neville is the son of former England international Phil Neville and nephew of another former England international Gary Neville.
Currently playing for Portland Timbers B team, Neville officially joined the Inter Miami first team roster on 23 August 2022 and was handed his debut by his father the same year, after signing a deal through to the end of the 2024 season.
Giuliano Simeone
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The son of former Argentine international footballer Diego Simeone currently plays for LaLiga club Alaves on loan from Atletico Madrid.
Simeone made his senior debut with Atleti's B-team on 17 January 2021, starting and scoring the opener in a 1–1 Segunda División B away draw against UD Poblense.
However, his father Diego, handed him his first senior debut for Atlético Madrid in a 0–0 La Liga draw with Granada on 20 April 2022, coming on as a sub in the 91st minute.
Enzo Zidane
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Another of Zidane’s footballer sons – Enzo – recently announced his retirement from the game aged 29.
But before his retirement, Enzo Zidane played for the youth academy of Real Madrid, after being invited by José Mourinho to train with the club's first team in 2011.
In August 2013. Zidane was promoted to the Juvenil 'A' team.
The following year, he made his debut for Real Madrid Castilla, the B-team.
In October 2015, Enzo was promoted to train regularly with the first team.
He was handed his senior debut for the club by his father and then-head coach Zinedine Zidane on 30 November 2016, coming off the bench for Isco in a Copa del Rey clash with Cultural Leonesa and scoring from the edge of the penalty area in a 6–1 home win (13–2 aggregate).
Ianis Hagi
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Ianis Hagi currently plays as a winger for Scottish Premiership club Rangers and the Romania national team.
Ianis is the son of Romania’s greatest footballer of all time, Gheorghe Hagi .
Ianis made his senior debut for Romania Liga I club Viitorul Constanța at the age of 16 on 5, December 2014, under his father who was the coach of the club at the time.
He came on as a last-minute substitute for Silviu Pană in a 2–1 home defeat to FC Botoșani.
Alex Bruce
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Alex Bruce is a former professional footballer who is currently first-team coach at Salford City.
The son of the former Manchester United defender Steve Bruce, the current head coach of EFL League One club, Blackpool.
He signed on a free transfer for Birmingham City, where his father was manager, on 27 January 2005, making his debut for the club the following year.
In 2006, Birmingham were relegated to the Championship, and it was felt that accusations of nepotism were hindering his progress, so it was decided in the best interests of club, manager and player, Bruce should pursue his career away from his father's management.
Darren Ferguson
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Darren Ferguson is a Scottish professional football manager and former player, who is currently the manager of League One club Peterborough United, his fourth stint as manager of the club.
As a player, Ferguson was managed at Manchester United by his father, Sir Alex Ferguson.
Sir Alex brought him through the youth ranks at Manchester United, giving him his first team debut in 1990.
Darren won a Premier League title and the FA Charity Shield in 1993 with the club before going on to spend most of his career at Wolverhampton Wanderers and Wrexham in the lower divisions of English football.
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