Mikel Arteta’s Son Gabriel Has Rare Eye Condition Affecting Less Than 1% of People
Mikel Arteta’s 17-year-old son, Gabriel Arteta Bernal, has attracted attention after details emerged about a rare eye condition he has had since birth.
Gabriel is currently part of Arsenal’s academy setup and is gradually making a name for himself at Hale End. The young winger is hoping to eventually follow the path of his father, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, although he remains at the early stages of his football career.
His Under-18 debut against Reading in April generated interest online, with some fans already wondering whether football could eventually see another famous father-and-son partnership.
Gabriel Arteta’s Different-Coloured Eyes Draw Attention
Interest in Gabriel has increased following the release of his official Arsenal headshot.
Rather than his performances on the pitch, it was his distinctive appearance that caught the attention of supporters. Gabriel has one blue eye and one brown eye, a condition known as heterochromia.
Heterochromia is uncommon and is estimated to affect fewer than 1% of people worldwide. In the United States alone, medical estimates suggest around 200,000 people have the condition.
Several famous personalities have also been known to have heterochromia, including Hollywood stars Mila Kunis and Henry Cavill. In Cavill’s case, however, the difference in eye colour is partial rather than affecting each eye completely.
What Is Heterochromia?
Heterochromia refers to a noticeable difference in the colour of a person’s eyes or parts of the iris.
There are three main forms of the condition:
– Complete heterochromia: Each eye has a completely different colour, such as Gabriel’s blue and brown eyes.
– Sectoral or partial heterochromia: A section of one iris has a different colour from the rest.
– Central heterochromia: The area surrounding the pupil has a different colour from the outer part of the iris.
In many cases, heterochromia is present from birth and can be linked to genetic factors affecting the distribution of melanin, the pigment responsible for eye colour.
However, it can sometimes develop later because of factors such as an eye injury, inflammation, bleeding or other medical conditions.
For Gabriel Arteta, there are no reported health concerns associated with his heterochromia. Instead, the condition simply gives him a distinctive physical feature.
If he ever wanted to temporarily change the appearance of his eyes for cosmetic reasons, coloured contact lenses could be an option.
For now, Gabriel’s focus remains on developing his football career at Arsenal, with hopes that his performances will eventually earn him the same level of attention enjoyed by some of the club’s other highly rated academy prospects.
