PARENTS only ever want what's best for their children – and that's a relief to this lot.
Sons following in their fathers' footsteps is nothing new in the beautiful game.
We've seen a number of top players retire, only for their offspring to continue the family name at the highest level.
The likes of Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo are seeing their kids Kai and Cristiano Jr thrive in Manchester United's youth teams.
They'll have a huge task on their hands to live up to their world-beating dads.
But some kids have grown up to be even better than their famous fathers.
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SunSport takes a look at seven of the best – starting with a certain Manchester City new-boy…
Erling Haaland
In 2017, and then playing for Molde, Erling Haaland claimed: "The goal is to become a better player than my dad was.
"I hope to get more Norway caps than he did.”
Five years later, Haaland has joined Man City in a bargain £51million transfer after shining for RB Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund and his country – well on his way to becoming the best Norwegian player ever.
The striker averages around a goal a game for his career – including 23 goals in just 19 Champions League games – while scoring 20 times in 21 matches for Norway.
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Dad Alf-Inge played for Nottingham Forest, Leeds and Man City in the Premier League in a solid career, including 34 caps for his country.
But it's fair to say Erling has already overtaken Alfie, whose career was ended by a knee injury – with his famous clash with Roy Keane in April 2001 certainly not helping.
Haaland Snr played his final match in January 2002, aged just 29.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Pierre Aubameyang enjoyed a 20-year career – mostly in France – playing over 420 league matches and even earning 29 Gabon caps.
In his prime, Auba Snr turned out for French clubs including Laval, Le Havre and Toulouse.
He retired in 2002, with son Pierre-Emerick in the youth ranks at Bastia.
Aubameyang Jnr moved to AC Milan in 2008, before getting his big break with Saint-Etienne in 2011, which he used as a springboard to international superstardom.
After two years at the French club, Aubameyang Jnr joined Borussia Dortmund – where he scored 141 times in 213 games, before heading to Arsenal.
Now at Barcelona, Aubameyang is continuing to shine, now aged 33.
And with 72 caps for Gabon – including 30 goals – it's fair to say Auba Jnr far exceeded his old man.
Thiago
This one is less-well-known by casual fans – mostly due to the fact Thiago's dad played for a different country.
Iomar do Nascimento – better-known as Mazinho – earned 35 caps for Brazil, even helping them win the 1994 World Cup.
Midfielder Mazinho spent most of his career in Europe, with the likes of Fiorentina, Valencia and Celta Vigo – playing between 1985 and 2001.
But now-Liverpool and Spain star Thiago has succeeded where his dad didn't.
While Mazinho failed to win any silverware in Europe, Thiago won four LaLiga crowns at Barcelona and a further SEVEN league titles at Bayern Munich.
Add to that two Champions League titles and national cup competitions with Barca, Bayern and Liverpool, and you can see he's won nearly everything.
Thiago is yet to win anything with Spain, racking up 46 caps for his country in the last decade.
But his domestic success proves he's succeeded his dad – and brother Rafinha, now at Paris Saint-Germain.
Interesting, Rafinha did choose to represent Brazil, while Thiago opted for Spain due to the fact he'd spent his whole life there.
Sergio Busquets
Busquets Jnr has spent his whole career at Barcelona – with his dad Carles almost doing the same.
Originally a striker, Busquets Snr worked his way through the Nou Camp youth ranks and played 79 times for the first-team as a goalkeeper.
He was unfortunate to be stuck behind the likes of Andoni Zubizarreta and Vitor Baia at the LaLiga giants and would spend the final three years of his career as first-choice stopper at Lleida.
Carles never played for Spain – while son Sergio, 33, has amassed a whopping 137 caps for his country.
While his dad earned two LaLiga winners' medals, Sergio has got EIGHT and counting, to go with three Champions League titles and one World Cup and European Championship apiece.
In all, Sergio has played 680 times for Barcelona and shows no sign of slowing down.
Frank Lampard
One of the bigger names on this list, Chelsea legend Lampard Jnr would have an incredible career, leaving his dad in his shadow.
Lampard Snr spent 18 years in the West Ham first-team, playing 551 league games and scoring 18 goals from left-back.
He earned two caps for England, too.
But son Frank Jnr played 106 times for the Three Lions and played 600 times in the Premier League for the Hammers, Chelsea and Man City.
Lampard won three Premier League crowns at the Blues, to go with four FA Cups, two League Cups and the 2011-12 Champions League.
He also won a hoard of individual honours, including England Player of the Year twice, Chelsea Player of the Year three times, Premier League Player of the Sason and FWA Football of the Year – and was also named in the prestigious FIFPro World XI in 2005.
Marcos Alonso
One of a controversial list of players to have starred for both Barcelona and Real Madrid, Marcos Snr enjoyed a stellar career.
The right winger played 22 times for his country and featured over 300 times in the league, including 51 for Los Blancos and 124 for Barca – while enjoying two stints at Atletico Madrid.
Marcos won just one LaLiga crown, with Barcelona in 1984-85.
Son Marcos Jnr took a slightly different path, featuring as a left-wing-back, rather than right winger.
He started his career at Real, but played just once before being sold to Bolton.
Alonso moved to Fiorentina, which included a loan at Sunderland, before arriving at Chelsea in 2016.
Since then, Alonso has enjoyed his best years, earning all of his nine Spain caps despite fierce competition from the likes of Jordi Alba, in that time.
He has played 212 times for the Blues and helped them win the 2016-17 Premier League crown, the 2020-21 Champions League, 2018-19 Europa League and 2017-18 FA Cup – as well as the Super Cup and Club World Cup in 2021.
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Jack Cork
Cork Jnr has enjoyed a superb career, starring for Southampton, Swansea and Burnley since leaving Chelsea in 2011.
He's even earned an England cap, to go with 39 youth caps for his country, while playing as part of Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics.
In all, Cork has racked up over 500 league appearances – most of which have come in the Premier League.
Dad Alan, meanwhile, spent 14 years at Wimbledon and was part of the iconic Crazy Gang squad.
The striker played over 400 times in the league for the Dons, scoring 194 times and would also play for Sheffield United and Fulham before retiring in 1995.
Alan never earned an international call-up and went into management – leading Swansea, Chesham United and Cardiff between 1997 and 2002.
Most-recently, he coached Bolton Wanderers Reserves between 2008 and 2010 but has also worked as an assistant under Micky Adams at Swansea, Leicester and Sheff Utd.
Alan is now a scout for the England national team… but his son hasn't played since his debut in 2017.
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