VERY few people make it as a professional footballer and even fewer get to represent their country.
But the Chamberlain family have had no issue reaching the very top of the game with dad Mark and son Alex both donning the Three Lions on their chest.
Mark Chamberlain played as a winger between 1978 and 1998 with spells at Stoke City, Portsmouth and Brighton.
But the pinnacle of his career was the eight caps he picked up for England in the 80s.
And it would seem his son Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain inherited his footballing genes as he rose straight to the very top too.
Alex came through the ranks at Southampton before securing a move to Arsenal when he was just 17 years old.
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Some 198 appearances and three FA Cups later and he made a £35m move to Liverpool where he went on to win both the Premier League and Champions League as part of Jurgen Klopp’s side.
However, following consistent injury troubles he lost his place at the Anfield outfit and said goodbye to Merseyside this summer after six years with The Reds.
Now the 30-year-old is plying his trade in Turkey after making the move to Besiktas on a free transfer.
Since switching to the Black Eagles Alex has featured 12 times and has already netted two goals.
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But it’s for England where the former Gunners midfielder has really outshone his father’s legacy – more than quadrupling Mark’s international appearances.
Alex was a regular feature of the national setup for a number of years and made an impressive 35 appearances for the Three Lions.
But he has his dad to thank for how far he got in his career with his constructive criticism key to Alex’s success.
Speaking to the Daily Star in 2015, he said: “He is a harsh critic but he is a realistic one.
“I always know I can go to him for honest advice. I can have the worst game of my life, come off the pitch and my mum will tell me I was great! That’s what mums do.
“But dad has always been able to tell me in the right way whether I have done well or badly.
“There is always room for improvement and I have always grown up knowing however well I have done, there is always something I could have done better.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
