Like father, like son: Ligue 1's second generations
Ruben Kluivert's arrival at Lyon makes him just the latest second-generation player to ply his trade in Ligue 1 McDonald's -- see who else has followed in their father's footsteps with our latest piece.
Like father, like son(s)
Like his illustrious father Patrick before him, Dutchman Ruben Kluivert will play in Ligue 1 McDonald's. This isn't a first in the history of the French league, and it's not even a first for the Kluivert family, as before Ruben, it was his younger brother Justin Kluivert, who played in Ligue 1 McDonald's. While Justin played for OGC Nice in 2021/2022, Ruben signed with Olympique Lyonnais on a five season deal last Friday. The 24-year-old defender arrives from Casa Pia, where he played in the Portuguese top flight. Before his year there, he started with Utrecht and then played for Dordrecht. His father Patrick, who earned 79 caps for the Netherlands and a long list of achievements with Ajax and Barça, finished his career at LOSC. That was in 2007/2008, and he scored four goals in 14 matches. But before Patrick, Justin and Ruben Kluivert, many players have followed in their fathers' footsteps by treading the pitches of Ligue 1 McDonald's.
R.Kluivert 🇳🇱
#21 🔴🔵
📸 @DamienLGphoto pic.twitter.com/EX9sqB6CGw— Olympique Lyonnais 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@OL_English) July 25, 2025
The Thurams, the Ayews, and even the "PEAs"
This was the case for brothers André and Jordan Ayew, sons of Abedi Pelé. A Champions League winner and four-time French champion with Olympique de Marseille, Ghanaian international Abedi Pelé saw his son André Ayew become an iconic player for the Marseille club, with whom he played over 200 matches between 2007 and 2015. He also holds the record for the most caps for Ghana, before his younger brother Jordan can overtake him? The latter also trained at OM, where he played 147 matches, not to mention stints at Lorient and Sochaux.
Like the Kluiverts and the Ayews, Ligue 1 runs in the Thuram family, Lilian's two sons have emulated their father by making a name for themselves in Ligue 1 McDonald's. Like Lilian, the 1998 World Cup winner, his younger son Khéphren played for AS Monaco, his formative club, before joining OGC Nice from 2019 to 2024. His brother Marcus, now a striker for Inter and the French national team, played for EA Guingamp between 2017 and 2019, scoring a total of 12 goals in the top flight. A 1998 World Cup winner with Lilian Thuram and also a former player for Monaco and PSG, Youri Djorkaeff followed his father Jean. A French international from 1964 to 1972 and captain of Les Bleus on numerous occasions, he played for OL, OM, PSG, and PFC. Another 1998 World Cup winner, David Trezeguet, followed his father in the top flight -- his father, Jorge, played for Rouen.
It's hard not to mention Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and his father Pierre François, more commonly known as Pierre Aubame. This former Gabonese international spent almost his entire career in France, notably at Laval and Le Havre (and in Toulouse and Nice at the lower level). Several of his sons have become professional players, but it is of course Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who stands out. Having played for Lille and Monaco, he made his mark with ASSE between 2011 and 2013 (25 league goals over two full seasons) and more recently with OM.
Auba. 🇬🇦 pic.twitter.com/haXsaOJyYR
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) July 10, 2025
Multiple French Champions
In the history of the French league, the passion for football has often been passed down within the same family. With over 800 matches between them, Guy Sénac and his son Didier, both of whom played for Lens and the French national team, hold the record, ahead of Yannick Stopyra and his father Julien.
Among father and son duos, we must also mention Ahmed Oudjani (top scorer in Ligue 1 in 1963/1964) and his son Chérif, who each wrote the history books for RC Lens in their time. Then there's Alain Giresse (a two-time French champion with Bordeaux in 1984 and 1985) who was succeeded by his son Thibault (145 matches). Similarly, Benjamin Stambouli, who won the title with MHSC in 2012, followed in his father Henri's footsteps. Former PSG goalkeeper Jérôme Alonzo succeeded his father Pierre, a former AS Cannes midfielder.
Still among the league's former stars, Jacques Santini saw his son Stéphane play for Les Verts, while Benjamin Genghini did the same at FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, where Bernard had previously excelled. Another international, Daniel Horlaville, is the father of Christophe, a striker who has played in over a hundred league matches.
As for foreign players, Icelandic striker Eidur Gudjohnsen played for AS Monaco, while his father Arnor played for Bordeaux (1990-92). Two decades after his father Carlos, Uruguayan Gaston Curbelo played for AS Nancy-Lorraine. More recently, between 2010 and early 2012, Vujadin Savić played for Bordeaux, when his father Dusan played at the forefront of the LOSC attack and then AS Cannes in the 1980s.
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