TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature seven pairs of siblings, but fewer than half will represent the same national team. While some brothers will share the pitch as teammates, others could find themselves on opposite sides of international football's biggest stage.
Siblings Representing the Same Country
Three sibling pairs will play for the same national teams at the tournament:
Lucas and Theo Hernandez will represent France. The brothers have become key figures for the French squad, with Lucas playing primarily in defense and Theo establishing himself as one of the world's leading left-backs.
Midfield brothers Laros and Deroy Duarte will play for Cape Verde.
Leandro and Juninho Bacuna will represent Curaçao, continuing a family connection that has helped raise the profile of the Caribbean nation in international football.
Siblings Playing for Different Nations
Four sibling pairs have chosen to represent different countries, highlighting the multicultural backgrounds common in modern international football.
- Brian Brobbey and Derrick Luckassen
Striker Brian Brobbey will play for Netherlands, while his brother, Derrick Luckassen, has opted to represent Ghana. Luckassen, who previously played for Dutch youth teams, secured a late call-up to Ghana's World Cup squad.
- Desire Doue and Guela Doue
One of the most intriguing family stories involves Désiré Doué and Guéla Doué. Désiré chose to represent France, while Guéla plays for Ivory Coast, the homeland of their father. The brothers could even face each other in the knockout rounds.
- John Souttar and Harry Souttar
Both brothers were born in Scotland, but their international careers took different paths. John Souttar represents Scotland, while his younger brother, Harry Souttar, plays for Australia. Standing at 198 centimeters (6 feet 6 inches), Harry is the tallest player ever to represent Australia.
- Inaki and Nico Williams
Perhaps the most well-known sibling pair at the tournament, Iñaki Williams and Nico Williams were both born in Spain but chose different national allegiances.
Iñaki switched to represent Ghana ahead of the 2022 World Cup, while Nico opted for Spain. Nico was part of Spain's UEFA Euro 2024-winning team and scored in the 2-1 victory over England in the final.
The presence of these sibling pairs reflects the increasingly global nature of international football, where family members can share the same roots yet choose different paths on the world stage.
Read: 2026 World Cup Opening Ceremonies: Performers, Dates & Start Time
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