Why being the daughter of a soccer player is a shortcut to fame

The Anglo-Saxon press, so devoted to acronyms, has one created expressly for the daughters (it is always about them) of prominent footballers who stand out in the media thanks to their last name.

Oliver Thansan
Oliver Thansan
03 March 2024 Sunday 10:16
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Why being the daughter of a soccer player is a shortcut to fame

The Anglo-Saxon press, so devoted to acronyms, has one created expressly for the daughters (it is always about them) of prominent footballers who stand out in the media thanks to their last name. If they refer to their partners as WAG ('wives and girlfriends'), lately the tabloids first and the rest later, talk about FAD: 'footballer's aspirational daughters'.

The aspirational daughters of soccer players are material for the European tabloids with an advantage over their generational predecessors: digital natives, they have known how to position themselves using the Internet and, with it, find a business niche. Zayra Gutiérrez (24), daughter of former Real Madrid player Guti and Arancha de Benito, is a brand new signing for Supervivientes 2024. After a somewhat erratic youth – during the pandemic she was not too obedient – ​​becoming a mother last spring has focused her considerably and she is eager to make herself known on television.

On the contrary, María Guardiola (23): daughter of the Manchester City coach and Cristina Serra, her kingdom is Instagram: there she exhibits looks dressed by haute couture brands, presence in exclusive venues, exotic trips and references to the football glory of her father before 840 thousand followers.

Sira Martínez (23) is the daughter of Luis Enrique, former national coach and former teammate of Pep Guardiola at FC Barcelona, ​​and the economist Elena Cullell: although her profile reaches 345 thousand followers, she does not exploit the networks for personal promotion but for professional promotion. : Sira is a rider – she started riding when she was seven years old and today trains five hours a day – and has a good track record in the world of horse riding. When she was very young she settled in Belgium, she studied Business Administration at the UOC and has completed her degree in Tourism. After a long relationship with Paco Goyoaga, the rider son of her first trainer, Margaret Mollet, she was with Barcelona player Ferran Torres until May 2023.

Malu Salgado (21) is the daughter of Michel Salgado and Malula Sanz, daughter of former white president Lorenzo Sanz. She studied International Relations at the University of London, has lived in Madrid, Manchester, Dubai and now resides in Miami, dedicated to launching her musical career: she knew she wanted to be a singer the first time she saw Grèase, so at the age of 17 she participated in La Voz Kids and at 19, he signed a contract with RedOne, producer of Lady Gaga and J-Lo.

For her part, Daniela Figo – daughter of the former Madrid player and the Swedish model Helen Svedin – has opted for healthcare: she began Biomedical Sciences at the University of Surrey (England) and is now close to finishing Medicine at the University of Navarra. Patricia, daughter of coach Quique Sánchez-Flores and granddaughter of the Faraona's sister, studies Law, is a stylist and proudly boasts of her last name; enough to release a documentary about her family heritage in Ecoo Magazine.

A curious case is that of Claudia Hierro (28): daughter of the legendary Madrid player Fernando Hierro (today coaching the Mexican Chivas de Guadalajara), she studied high school at a boarding school in the United Kingdom and in Madrid, Advertising and Public Relations. She debuted as a model at the age of 19 on the Seville catwalk 'We Love Flamenco' and later at Fashion Week Madrid. She was one of the first to look at Instagram and perhaps the only one to decide to erase her digital footprint.

On an international level, Gemma Owen (23) – daughter of former Madrid player Michael Owen – coincides with Sira Martínez in her equestrian passion and with Charlotte Caniggia (31) – daughter of the famous Argentine forward – in that both have participated in reality television: the first on Love Island and the second, in a long list since she appeared in Rich Women in 2010. Finally, Dalma Maradona (36) is the daughter of the ill-fated and controversial Argentine star, she has opted for acting.