Famous sports fathers and a strong father-daughter bond
On Sunday, we celebrated World Father’s Day, symbolically thanking these men in our lives for playing a key role since we were born. The father is an integral part of the child’s life because he represents specific behavior patterns, whether he has a son or a daughter. But do you know which well-known couples in sports – whether father-son or father-daughter – have achieved worldwide success and fame? We’ve found a few of these couples for you, so let’s get started.
Why is the father-daughter bond different from the father-son?
Historical research already reveals interesting connections and information. The bond between a father and a son is seldom comparable to that bond between a father and a daughter. Why is that so? Researchers have found that fathers are important in building their daughters’ confidence. Their relationship even has an impact on the academic results achieved at school. They not only influence their behavior, social relationships but also show them how to treat women. In the future, they help them build relationships – partnerships, but also regular social ones. Fathers are simply role models for daughters – whether they realize it or not, it is due to genetic development. Simply put, the father-daughter relationship is not only specific to us humans but has even been demonstrated in animals.
Famous father and famous daughter – Muhammad and Laila Ali
Nobody would ever recommend teasing this father-daughter combo. Literally. Both could fly like butterflies in the ring, stab like bees and knock the opponent to the ground with a precisely aimed blow or kick. Muhammad Ali was a boxer with a capital letter B, responsible for the revolution in the ring. And in his footsteps came the daughter named Laila.
Ali was born Cassius Clay, Jr., but was dissatisfied with the name because he considered it a slave version he hated. Probably no wonder, given the American history and the turbulent 60s in the US. He converted to Islam and adopted the name, Muhammad Ali. There is more than enough controversy in his life; he refused to serve in the US Army in Vietnam. He justified it with his religious beliefs. As a punishment, he got a stop sign for 4 years and couldn’t even get close to boxing. He experienced his triumphant return in 1974 and continued his triumphant campaign until 1981, when he began to show the first signs of Parkinson’s disease.
Ali was also a relatively active man – he was the proud father of 9 children during his lifetime and Laila was eighth. Nevertheless, their father-daughter relationship was not ideal because Ali wanted Laila to follow Islamism, which she rejected and had a different idea and journey within her life. After school, she opened a nail salon. Still, you can’t run away from genetics – the box naturally found her. She started training intensively, which her father Ali didn’t like very much. Ali said that women were not created for others to hit them in the face or breasts. However, Laila trained more and more. The first successes were only a matter of time before she ended her career with the title of WIBA World Champion. Father Ali also found peace at the end of his life that he would not change Laila’s mind and was proud of her until he died in 2016.
However, there are also male examples as well
Indeed, in addition to the father-daughter relationship, we should look at and pay attention to the opposite one, the father-son. Let’s move to sunny Italy. Even today, the surname Maldini can stir emotions, passion and causes great feelings between many sports fans. Do you remember the phenomenal Cesare Maldini?
Milan’s legend, Cesare Maldini, won the European Cup as early as 1963 and Series A four times. The jury decided to put him into the Hall of fame in 2016 – four years after his son – Paolo Maldini – succeeded the same. Throughout his career, Paolo played for one club – AC Milan – just like his father. He wore the AC Milan jersey more than 900 times, represented Italy by 126 times, and won five European Cups. He is rightly considered one of the best players of all time.
Zinedine Zidane and his football successor – son Luc
Zinedine was the star of Juventus and Real Madrid in the decade 1990-2000, later moving to the coach position at Real Madrid, where he managed to win three titles in the Champions League in a row. His son Luca is also loyal to the grass at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. However, it might not be fair to compare them. Luca is a goalkeeper. Zinedine’s younger sons – Enzo, Theo and Elyaz – are also footballers, all of whom trained in Madrid.
What the children in this family will reach and if the success will be there, it is still in the stars. However, it is a perfect example of the fact that the father-son relationship is 100% effective. The saying like father, like son, is correct. We look forward to seeing you again, dear friends, in a week, with another interesting article where we share how to do sports even on the hottest summer days.
.
