Football nostalgics are in for a treat this season. The names Weah and Hagi are among the most hallowed in the game, evoking stellar feats from years gone by, and both are set for a Champions League comeback as two young men look to continue the family tradition.
For 19-year-old Timothy Weah (pictured above), that means a competition debut for LOSC Lille – 25 years after his father George embarked on a memorable campaign. By the end of it, the current president of Liberia had finished as the seven-goal top scorer while firing Paris Saint-Germain into the semi-finals. Genk’s new 20-year-old midfielder Ianis Hagi will be walking in the shoes of his father Gheorghe. A European Cup runner-up with Steaua Bucureşti in 1989, the legendary Romanian playmaker was another star turn a quarter of a century ago, this time with Barcelona.
Other big names from that 1994/95 season have already watched their offspring in Europe – Carles Busquets, Danny Blind, Patrick Kluivert and Peter Schmeichel all looking on proudly as sons Sergio, Daley, Justin and Kasper have forged their reputations. But the passing on of football genes is nothing new. Take Paolo Maldini, who lifted the trophy with AC Milan five times to bring the total in the family to six following his father Cesare’s triumph in 1963. Or Jordi Cruyff, who had huge boots to fill in autumn 1994. So fear not Timothy and Ianis, you are far from alone.
Football nostalgics are in for a treat this season. The names Weah and Hagi are among the most hallowed in the game, evoking stellar feats from years gone by, and both are set for a Champions League comeback as two young men look to continue the family tradition.
For 19-year-old Timothy Weah (pictured above), that means a competition debut for LOSC Lille – 25 years after his father George embarked on a memorable campaign. By the end of it, the current president of Liberia had finished as the seven-goal top scorer while firing Paris Saint-Germain into the semi-finals. Genk’s new 20-year-old midfielder Ianis Hagi will be walking in the shoes of his father Gheorghe. A European Cup runner-up with Steaua Bucureşti in 1989, the legendary Romanian playmaker was another star turn a quarter of a century ago, this time with Barcelona.
Other big names from that 1994/95 season have already watched their offspring in Europe – Carles Busquets, Danny Blind, Patrick Kluivert and Peter Schmeichel all looking on proudly as sons Sergio, Daley, Justin and Kasper have forged their reputations. But the passing on of football genes is nothing new. Take Paolo Maldini, who lifted the trophy with AC Milan five times to bring the total in the family to six following his father Cesare’s triumph in 1963. Or Jordi Cruyff, who had huge boots to fill in autumn 1994. So fear not Timothy and Ianis, you are far from alone.
Football nostalgics are in for a treat this season. The names Weah and Hagi are among the most hallowed in the game, evoking stellar feats from years gone by, and both are set for a Champions League comeback as two young men look to continue the family tradition.
For 19-year-old Timothy Weah (pictured above), that means a competition debut for LOSC Lille – 25 years after his father George embarked on a memorable campaign. By the end of it, the current president of Liberia had finished as the seven-goal top scorer while firing Paris Saint-Germain into the semi-finals. Genk’s new 20-year-old midfielder Ianis Hagi will be walking in the shoes of his father Gheorghe. A European Cup runner-up with Steaua Bucureşti in 1989, the legendary Romanian playmaker was another star turn a quarter of a century ago, this time with Barcelona.
Other big names from that 1994/95 season have already watched their offspring in Europe – Carles Busquets, Danny Blind, Patrick Kluivert and Peter Schmeichel all looking on proudly as sons Sergio, Daley, Justin and Kasper have forged their reputations. But the passing on of football genes is nothing new. Take Paolo Maldini, who lifted the trophy with AC Milan five times to bring the total in the family to six following his father Cesare’s triumph in 1963. Or Jordi Cruyff, who had huge boots to fill in autumn 1994. So fear not Timothy and Ianis, you are far from alone.
Football nostalgics are in for a treat this season. The names Weah and Hagi are among the most hallowed in the game, evoking stellar feats from years gone by, and both are set for a Champions League comeback as two young men look to continue the family tradition.
For 19-year-old Timothy Weah (pictured above), that means a competition debut for LOSC Lille – 25 years after his father George embarked on a memorable campaign. By the end of it, the current president of Liberia had finished as the seven-goal top scorer while firing Paris Saint-Germain into the semi-finals. Genk’s new 20-year-old midfielder Ianis Hagi will be walking in the shoes of his father Gheorghe. A European Cup runner-up with Steaua Bucureşti in 1989, the legendary Romanian playmaker was another star turn a quarter of a century ago, this time with Barcelona.
Other big names from that 1994/95 season have already watched their offspring in Europe – Carles Busquets, Danny Blind, Patrick Kluivert and Peter Schmeichel all looking on proudly as sons Sergio, Daley, Justin and Kasper have forged their reputations. But the passing on of football genes is nothing new. Take Paolo Maldini, who lifted the trophy with AC Milan five times to bring the total in the family to six following his father Cesare’s triumph in 1963. Or Jordi Cruyff, who had huge boots to fill in autumn 1994. So fear not Timothy and Ianis, you are far from alone.
Football nostalgics are in for a treat this season. The names Weah and Hagi are among the most hallowed in the game, evoking stellar feats from years gone by, and both are set for a Champions League comeback as two young men look to continue the family tradition.
For 19-year-old Timothy Weah (pictured above), that means a competition debut for LOSC Lille – 25 years after his father George embarked on a memorable campaign. By the end of it, the current president of Liberia had finished as the seven-goal top scorer while firing Paris Saint-Germain into the semi-finals. Genk’s new 20-year-old midfielder Ianis Hagi will be walking in the shoes of his father Gheorghe. A European Cup runner-up with Steaua Bucureşti in 1989, the legendary Romanian playmaker was another star turn a quarter of a century ago, this time with Barcelona.
Other big names from that 1994/95 season have already watched their offspring in Europe – Carles Busquets, Danny Blind, Patrick Kluivert and Peter Schmeichel all looking on proudly as sons Sergio, Daley, Justin and Kasper have forged their reputations. But the passing on of football genes is nothing new. Take Paolo Maldini, who lifted the trophy with AC Milan five times to bring the total in the family to six following his father Cesare’s triumph in 1963. Or Jordi Cruyff, who had huge boots to fill in autumn 1994. So fear not Timothy and Ianis, you are far from alone.
Football nostalgics are in for a treat this season. The names Weah and Hagi are among the most hallowed in the game, evoking stellar feats from years gone by, and both are set for a Champions League comeback as two young men look to continue the family tradition.
For 19-year-old Timothy Weah (pictured above), that means a competition debut for LOSC Lille – 25 years after his father George embarked on a memorable campaign. By the end of it, the current president of Liberia had finished as the seven-goal top scorer while firing Paris Saint-Germain into the semi-finals. Genk’s new 20-year-old midfielder Ianis Hagi will be walking in the shoes of his father Gheorghe. A European Cup runner-up with Steaua Bucureşti in 1989, the legendary Romanian playmaker was another star turn a quarter of a century ago, this time with Barcelona.
Other big names from that 1994/95 season have already watched their offspring in Europe – Carles Busquets, Danny Blind, Patrick Kluivert and Peter Schmeichel all looking on proudly as sons Sergio, Daley, Justin and Kasper have forged their reputations. But the passing on of football genes is nothing new. Take Paolo Maldini, who lifted the trophy with AC Milan five times to bring the total in the family to six following his father Cesare’s triumph in 1963. Or Jordi Cruyff, who had huge boots to fill in autumn 1994. So fear not Timothy and Ianis, you are far from alone.
