Top 7 Footballers Who Were Born Into Wealthy Families.

...

Not every football star came up from the mud.  While the "rags to riches" tale dominates the narrative, a few world-class players kicked off their careers from a place of privilege, not poverty.

 These ballers had silver spoons in their mouths and still chose the grind of professional football, not because they had to, but because they loved the game. 

Here are seven footballers who grew up in luxury and turned passion into profession:

...

Gerard Piqué

...
The former Barcelona defender wasn't just elite on the pitch — he came from an elite background too. 

His father is a successful lawyer and businessman, while his mother held a high-ranking executive role at a prestigious hospital in Catalonia. Oh, and his grandfather was once vice-president of FC Barcelona. Talk about connections.

Frank Lampard

...
Before becoming a Chelsea legend, Lampard was already football royalty. 

His father, Frank Lampard Sr., played for West Ham and was a part of the England setup. 

Add to that the fact that his uncle is Harry Redknapp, and you've got a man raised in a well-off, football-savvy family that understood both the sport and the spotlight.

Robin van Persie

...
The Dutch striker grew up surrounded by creativity and comfort. His father was a successful sculptor, and his mother was a painter and jewelry designer. 

Though they divorced when he was young, Van Persie never lacked support — or inspiration — in his upbringing.

Hugo Lloris

...
The French goalkeeper and World Cup winner was born into a well-off family in Nice.

 His father is a respected banker and his mother was a successful lawyer. 

Lloris even had the opportunity to pursue tennis at a high level but chose football — a decision Spurs fans are definitely grateful for.

Kaka

...
Unlike many of his Brazilian teammates, Kaka wasn’t raised in a favela. 

His father was a civil engineer, and his mother was a teacher. The family was comfortably middle class, allowing Kaka to focus on school and sport without financial stress. 

He even had access to training facilities that many in Brazil only dream of.

Mario Götze

...

Germany’s World Cup hero was raised in a highly educated and wealthy family. 

  His father, Jürgen Götze, is a respected professor of computer science, which meant Mario had access to excellent education and living conditions. 

The Götze household was more about brains and balance sheets before the boy brought home the World Cup.

Gianluigi Buffon

...
The legendary Italian goalkeeper hails from a family of athletes — and not just casual ones. 

His mother was a discus thrower, his father was a weightlifter, and his sisters were volleyball players.

 That athletic pedigree came with comfort and status. Buffon had access to the best sports academies and training from an early age.

These players weren’t driven by desperation, but by desire. Their comfortable upbringings didn’t diminish their competitive fire, they simply had the luxury of chasing football for the love of the game. 

Privileged or not, their achievements prove that greatness comes from grit, no matter where your journey begins

See also:Amad Diallo Set for Surprise Return to Man United Training After Injury Blow.