Like fathers, like sons: Ligue 1's most famous duos
After the brilliant Ligue 1 McDonald's debut by RC Lens' Mezian Melsoub Soares, son of Walid Mesloub, we take a look at some other famous father and son combinations to have plied their trade in the French top flight.
The Thurams, the Ayews, and even the "PEAs"
Some of the most famous second generation players of recent years are brothers André and Jordan Ayew, sons of Abedi Pelé. A Champions League winner and four-time French champion with Olympique de Marseille, Ghanaian international 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, but his younger brother Jordan could overtake him. The latter also trained at OM, where he played 147 matches, not to mention stints at Lorient and Sochaux.
Like 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.
16-year-old Mezian Mesloub scores on his pro debut with Lens 🤩 pic.twitter.com/FY3IdFwC1w
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) May 10, 2026
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.
Finally, among current players, Lyon defender Ruben Kluivert has followed in the footsteps of his legendary father Patrick, who played his final season with Lille, and his brother Justin, who turned out for OGC Nice during the 2021-22 season. At Marseille, Timothy Weah (who has also played for LOSC and PSG) is following in the footsteps of his father George while Pablo Pagis' impressive season at Lorient has turned heads for the son of Mickaël, an attacking midfielder with more than four hundred appearances in French football.
