From Erling Haaland and Kai Rooney to Mikel Arteta’s son Gabriel, meet the football wonderkids following the footsteps of their famous parents

Becoming a professional footballer requires talent, dedication and years of hard work. But for some young players, football is already part of their family history. Several youngsters are now trying to follow in the footsteps of famous parents who made their mark in sport.Erling Haaland is one of the biggest examples after following his father Alf-Inge Haaland into professional football. The Premier League and its academies also feature several other youngsters with famous sporting or celebrity parents. From Kai Rooney to Gabriel Arteta, these rising talents are now looking to build careers of their own.From Kai Rooney to Phoenix Offiah, exploring how the next generation is making its markOne of the most recognisable names on the list is Kai Rooney, the eldest son of Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney and Coleen Rooney. The 16-year-old is following his father’s path at Manchester United and recently signed scholarship terms with the club.Kai has already featured for United’s Under-18 side. He scored two goals and provided an assist in seven appearances last season. The teenager has also revealed that he models his game on former Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli.Kai faces obvious comparisons with his father. His middle name is also Wayne, making the connection even stronger.Another youngster attracting attention is Kingston Haye, the 12-year-old son of former boxing world champion David Haye. Kingston is part of Arsenal’s academy after joining Hale End from Sutton last year.The youngster impressed scouts with his technical ability, vision and ball control. His father’s sporting background is not the only connection to athletics in the family. Kingston’s older brother Cassius, 18, has also competed on the junior tennis circuit in Spain.Former England striker Emile Heskey is also seeing his sons make progress in football. His sons Reigan and Jaden both came through the Manchester City academy.Jaden Heskey, 20, has spent time on loan at Sheffield Wednesday after impressing during an earlier spell. Reigan, 18, left Manchester City permanently this summer and joined German club Cologne.At Tottenham, Phoenix Offiah is another youngster carrying a famous sporting surname. The 16-year-old is the son of rugby league legend Martin Offiah.Phoenix has impressed in Tottenham’s academy and has been tipped for an England youth call-up. The 6ft 2in striker scored all four goals in a 4-1 win over Wolves last month and has also trained with Roberto De Zerbi’s first-team squad.Gabriel Arteta, son of Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, is another name to watch. Gabriel became a first-year scholar this summer and has already represented Arsenal Under-18s.Meanwhile, football is also part of the lives of Madonna’s adopted twin daughters Stella and Estere Ciccone. The 14-year-olds are enrolled in Tottenham Women’s youth ranks and have attended WSL matches with their mother.These youngsters have famous family names behind them, but their progress on the pitch will ultimately shape their own football careers!Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.