It’s not such a common sight to find a family of brothers playing professional football.
However, it’s an even rarer sight to see two siblings playing for different countries.
Today we will take a look at eight brothers who not only played for different national teams but also sometimes faced off against each other.
1. Iñaki Williams (Ghana) and Nico Williams (Spain)
The Williams brothers are one of the popular brothers who play football for different countries.
They were born in Bilbao, Spain, to Ghanaian parents and grew up playing for Athletic Bilbao.
Iñaki Williams started his senior career with Bilbao and progressed rapidly to become a key player for the first team.
Although Iñaki Williams represented Spain under-21s and made one cap for the Spanish national team in 2016, he never became a regular in the team.
Ghana reached out, and Iñaki Williams responded favourably. He will represent Ghana at the 2022 World Cup.
His younger brother Nico Williams played for Spain’s youth teams and consistently featured for Athletic Club.
His impressive performances earned him a call-up to the Spanish senior squad in September 2022.
Nico was also selected to represent Spain at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
He was part of the Spanish team that won the 2024 Euros, where he scored a goal in the final.
2. Wilson Eduardo (Angola) & Joao Mario (Portugal)
Wilson Eduardo is the elder brother of Benfica and Portuguese midfielder Joao Mario. The two brothers are of Angolan descent.
Wilson played for Portugal at youth level and rejected an opportunity to play for Angola’s senior squad in 2013.
In 2019, however, Eduardo reversed his decision to play for Angola and even scored for them on his debut.
While Joao Mario has played for Portugal since 2014, the midfielder was part of the Portuguese side that won the Euro 2016 and Primeira Liga with Sporting CP in 2021.
3. Jerome (Germany) & Kevin-Prince Boateng (Ghana)
The Boatengs are half-brothers born to a Ghanaian father and two different German mothers.
The pair began their early careers in the German youth setup. The younger Jerome was a defender, while his older brother Kevin-Prince was an attacking midfielder and opted to play for the land of his father, Ghana.
Jerome represented Germany in various international competitions, including the World Cup.
He was part of the team that successfully lifted the World Cup played in Brazil in 2014.
Kevin-Prince also played for Ghana at the World Cup in 2010 and 2014.
In 2014 he and his brother set the record for the first brothers playing for different countries to face each at the World Cup when Germany played Ghana in the group stage.
4. Granit (Switzerland) & Taulant Xhaka (Albania)
The Xhaka brothers were born to parents of Albanian origin.
Taulant, the older brother, plays as a defensive midfielder, while Granit plays in a more advanced position in the central midfield.
While the Arsenal man decided to play for his adopted Switzerland, Taulant chose to play for the land of his parents, Albania.
The two siblings got a chance to face each other in an international competition when Switzerland played Albania in the group stage of the 2016 Euros.
5. Paul (France), Florentin & Mathias Pogba (Guinea
Paul Pogba needs no introduction. The 2018 World Cup winner is highly regarded as one of the best creative midfielders in the game right now.
Not many people know that he has brothers who also play international football, albeit for Guinea.
Twins, Florentin and Mathias, have, at one time or the other, featured for the Guinean national team.
6. Thiago (Spain) & Rafinha Alcantara (Brazil)
Sons of former Brazilian international Iomar do Nascimento (Mazinho), the Alcantara siblings have a mutual love of football.
The older Thiago has so far had a more accomplished career, currently still playing for the Spanish national team.
Rafinha only has two caps to his name for Brazil.
7. Steve (France), Parfait & Riffi Mandanda (Congo)
The two Mandanda brothers are goalkeepers who represent different countries.
Steve Mandanda plays for Olympique Marseilles and the French national team, while Parfait is a goalkeeper at Charleroi and a Congolese international.
Steve is the elder brother and has two other younger brothers apart from Parfait.
Riffi Mandanda, who is a goalkeeper, plays for Kongsvinger in Norway, and Over Mandanda plays for Bordeaux.
8. Tim (Australia) & Chris Cahill (Samoa)
The former Everton FC and Australia midfielder is no doubt the more well-known sibling of the two.
His brother Chris also had intentions to play for the Aussies, but in the end, he decided to represent the land of his mother, Samoa.
Tim Cahill is arguably Australia’s greatest ever player, known for his incredible heading ability and World Cup goals.
He is the all-time leading scorer for the Socceroos and a legend at clubs like Everton.
While Tim was becoming a global icon for Australia, his brother Chris Cahill was making his own mark elsewhere.
Chris chose to represent Samoa and even captained their national team during his international career.
The brothers both showed incredible leadership, leading two different nations in the Pacific region.
9. Guéla Doué (Ivory Coast) and Désiré Doué (France)
The Doué brothers are two of the most exciting young talents currently playing in the French league.
Guéla was born in France but chose to embrace his heritage by playing for the Ivory Coast national team.
He made an immediate impact by scoring a dramatic winning goal against Uruguay on his debut in 2024.
His younger brother, Désiré Doué, is a star for Paris Saint-Germain and a key player for the French national team.
Désiré has been a standout for France’s youth teams and won a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
While Guéla is defending for the Elephants, Désiré is creating magic for Les Bleus.
10. Ryan Gravenberch (Netherlands) and Danzell Gravenberch (Suriname)
The Gravenberch brothers show how footballing paths can diverge even within the same elite family.
Ryan Gravenberch is a midfield powerhouse for Liverpool and a regular for the Netherlands national team.
He has been a key part of the Dutch squad for major tournaments like Euro 2020 and Euro 2024.
His older brother, Danzell Gravenberch, started in the Dutch youth ranks but eventually chose to represent Suriname.
Danzell played as a striker and decided to honor his family’s roots by playing for the Surinamese national team.
Ryan continues to compete at the highest level in Europe while Danzell has transitioned into a managerial role.
11. Jonathan de Guzman (Netherlands) and Julian de Guzman (Canada)
Jonathan and Julian de Guzman were the first brothers to play for two different FIFA confederations.
Julian is a true legend in North America and remains one of the most capped players for the Canadian national team.
He served as a long-time captain and is widely considered one of the greatest players in Canada’s history.
Jonathan moved to Europe as a teenager and eventually became a Dutch citizen to represent the Netherlands.
He reached the pinnacle of his career by playing for the Dutch in the 2014 World Cup semi-finals.
It is rare to see one brother become a CONCACAF icon while the other reaches the top of European football.
12. Christian Vieri (Italy) and Massimiliano Vieri (Australia)
The Vieri brothers have a fascinating story that connects the Italian Serie A with the Australian coast.
They grew up in Australia while their father played professional football there, giving them ties to both nations.
Christian “Bobo” Vieri returned to Italy and became one of the most feared strikers in the history of the game.
He is an Italian legend who scored countless goals for the Azzurri on the world’s biggest stages.
His brother, Massimiliano, decided to stay connected to his upbringing and represent the Australian Socceroos.
Max earned several caps for Australia in 2004, proving that world-class talent truly runs in the family.
13. Florent Malouda (France) and Lesly Malouda (French Guiana)
Florent Malouda is a household name for fans of Chelsea and the French national team.
He earned 80 caps for France and played in the 2006 World Cup final before making a unique late-career switch.
His brother, Lesly Malouda, played for French Guiana, which is a territory with its own national team.
In a surprising move, Florent eventually joined his brother to represent French Guiana in the 2017 Gold Cup.
Because French Guiana is not a full FIFA member, he was able to make the switch after his time with France was over.
The brothers finally got the chance to share the international stage together for their home territory.
14. Kurt Zouma (France) and Lionel Zouma (Central African Republic)
The Zouma brothers are two physically imposing defenders who chose to represent different continents.
Kurt Zouma has had a high-profile career in the Premier League and has been a regular for the French national team.
He represented France at every youth level before winning major trophies like the Champions League.
His older brother, Lionel Zouma, also began his career in France but felt a deep connection to his parents’ roots.
Lionel accepted a call-up to represent the Central African Republic, the country his family emigrated from.
While Kurt was competing for titles in England, Lionel was helping put his ancestral country on the football map.
15. Harry Souttar (Australia) and John Souttar (Scotland)
Harry and John Souttar are a modern example of brothers splitting their loyalty between Scotland and Australia.
Both brothers were born and raised in Scotland and began their professional journeys in the Scottish leagues.
John stayed home to play for the Scottish national team and has become a key defender for Rangers.
The towering Harry Souttar chose to represent Australia through his mother’s heritage and became a national hero.
Harry was a standout performer for the Socceroos during their impressive run at the 2022 World Cup.
It is a unique sight to see two brothers potentially facing each other in a major international friendly.
Other Notable Mentions:
- Emerson Palmieri (Italy) & Giovanni Manson (Brazil): Emerson won Euro 2020 with Italy, while his brother Giovanni stayed in Brazil to pursue his professional career.
- Cristian Roldan (USA) & Alex Roldan (El Salvador): These brothers are teammates for the Seattle Sounders but represent different nations on the international stage.
- Royston Drenthe (Netherlands) & Giovanni Drenthe (Suriname): The former Real Madrid star Royston played for the Netherlands, while his brother Giovanni chose to represent Suriname.
- Joe Baker (England) & Gerry Baker (USA): A classic historical example where Joe became an England star and Gerry represented the United States.
- Thomas Deng (Australia) & Peter Deng (South Sudan): Thomas is a regular for the Australian Socceroos, while his brother Peter represents their homeland of South Sudan.
- Michael Baldisimo (Philippines) & Matthew Baldisimo (Canada): Both brothers were raised in the Canadian system, but Michael eventually made the switch to play for the Philippines.
