Being a football player is a task hard enough. But being a football player who turn out to be the son of a former professional international footballer proves to be an even harder task to do. That’s what Federico Chiesa is all about.

Illustration by Antonio Losada (@chapulana)

Federico is the son of Enrico Chiesa, former Fiorentina, Parma, and Siena striker and fan favourite. He started his career at the Viola side where his father flourished, but playing in a slightly different role than him. Enrico was a prolific goalscorer, usually playing as number 9 in the center of the attack while Federico Chiesa is more of a wide forward or trequartista, contributing much to the dynamic of the game and providing assists to his teammates.

After the demise of Bernadeschi to Viola’s bitter rivals Juventus, Chiesa started having more time in the first team and subsequently broke into the team as a key player. Usually paired with Giovanni Simeone, Federico would usually play through the right wing in the 2016-17 season where he would show a much better form than in his first season with former Portuguese boss Paulo Sousa.

Chiesa’s game style (via whoscored.com)

Even though he plays mainly as a forward, he tends to make much of defensive work, trying to mark his opponents and press them to recover the ball. As dynamic as he can be, he will surely help his Fiorentina side to a good position in the Serie A this upcoming season. Despite not being a title contender side, Fiorentina has shown in later seasons they can surely make an upset against major teams.

Chiesa’s club history (via whoscored.com)

With his abilities getting better as seasons go by, it’s time for Chiesa to show if he’ll fulfil the expectations he has ever heard as a prospect. But for a player who, at first, had to show his capacity instead of being remembered as “Enrico’s son”, things don’t look too difficult for the Genoese-born 20-year-old Federico. Can he mount a bid for the Azzurri side in the future, just as his father? He surely has the potential for it.