Welcome, everybody to soccer 101.

My name is Taylor Rockwell, and this week it was announced that Cristiano Ronaldo's 14-year-old

son has been called up to the Portugal U-15 national team for the first time.

Cristiano de Santos, to give him his proper billing, currently plays for Alnasser in Saudi Arabia,

which is not coincidentally where his father plays club ball, and that is our entry point into

the strange world of nepotism in soccer, our topic for the week.

While in other industries, nepotism is absolutely a thing in professional soccer, it's a

much hazier thing.

It's not not a thing, but it's not quite as clearly a thing.

While family connections may open initial doors, the meritocratic, meritocratic, that's a word,

nature of sport means talent ultimately determines longevity and success, theoretically.

Still, we've had notable familial duos over the years, including the Maldini's, the Crofts,

the Schmichael's, and more.

So how real is nepotism in soccer?

How important can having a foot born in the door be?

Would John McGinn have won the Ballandor of his name was Sir Alex Ferguson, John McGinn, or vice versa? Graham Ruffman, would that have been the difference maker for him if he were John Sir Alex Ferguson to see win the Ballandor? I think if any Scottish player if it's Scott McTominy

Scott Sir Alex Ferguson McTominy

or Andy

Sir Alex Ferguson win the Ballandor. I think if any Scottish player, if it's Scott McTominy, Scott Sralax Ferguson

McTominy or Andy Taralus Ferguson Robertson, yeah, that's the differentiator for Scottish players.

There's an anti-Scottish agenda and if only Fergie was allowed around to, I mean, Darren Ferguson,

we're talking about nepotism in the Ferguson family. It's been a little bit.

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