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“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. No—it is much more than that.” Those immortal words from Bill Shankly capture our deep connection to the beautiful game. And there is no greater connection than the bond shared within a family.
As the international break begins–with nations vying for FIFA World Cup qualification and other regional tournaments – I have decided to take a journey through time to celebrate some of football’s greatest sets of brothers who left their mark on the continent and beyond.
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Emmanuel & Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha – Few footballers can mesmerise fans quite like the man who was “so good they named him twice” – Augustine Azuka “Jay-Jay” Okocha. Surprisingly, to this day, the former PSG midfield maestro still considers his elder brother the more gifted footballer.
Shola & Sammy Ameobi – The former spent 14 years at Newcastle United, making 397 official appearances and scoring 79 goals. The Zaria-born forward was also part of the Super Eagles squad at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Sammy, born in Newcastle upon Tyne, is the footballing equivalent of fantasy—his loan spells almost match his goals scored. They should still be basking in the Magpies’ League Cup triumph over the weekend.
Ikechukwu & Kalu Uche – A gift to every team they represented, they could easily slot into any squad – no Liverpool pun intended. IK amassed a La Liga total of 194 matches and 42 goals over nine seasons, featuring for Recreativo, Getafe, Zaragoza, Villarreal, Granada, and Málaga. His Spanish could easily pass for that of a local. Kalu remains one of the few Nigerian players known for his versatility, excelling both as a striker and a midfielder. He also spent most of his career in Spain, primarily with Almería, where he recorded 117 La Liga appearances and 27 goals. At the international level, both were a delight to watch in the Eagles’ iconic green and white.
Emmanuel & Celestine Babayaro – There can hardly be a conversation around full-backs who made their mark while active without mentioning Celestine—or ‘Cele,’ as he was fondly called. Alongside Emma, they reached the highest levels of the game, both in the nation’s green and white and for their European clubs—especially Celestine. FIFA U-17 World Champions in 1993, Olympic gold medalists in 1996, they were an attacking delight despite being positioned defensively.
Across Africa, brotherly footballing love runs deep. In modern-day conversations, two Elephants stomp hard – the Touré brothers, Yaya and Kolo. They are a mixed bag of modern footballing brilliance. One is the definition of a combative midfielder, with strength comparable to a bison. The other, almost comical but full of stories—it’s even reported that he once pretended to be a car salesman to cover up an affair.
In Ghana, midfielder André & forward Jordan Ayew –sons of Abedi Pele – continue to mesmerise with transferred skills from one of Africa’s finest to ever play the games. Jordan currently plays for Premier League club Leicester City, while André also known as Dede Ayew dwells in Normandy representing Le Havre in the French Ligue 1.
Europe and the Americas have also produced brothers who reached the peak of the game and excelled.
Gary & Phil Neville – As someone with an occasional bias for the red half of Manchester, this duo were among my favorites, and despite Gary’s perplexing performances in his later years at Old Trafford, he was instrumental in Sir Alex Ferguson’s dominant era. Phil, on the other hand, became more of a Merseyside legend. Years later, in their stead, came Rafael & Fabio da Silva.
Rai & Sócrates – Some may see footballers as incapable of thriving outside the pitch, but that certainly wasn’t the case for Sócrates. Beyond his brilliance on the field, he also held a recognised qualification in medicine, proving his intellect extended far beyond football.
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Bobby & Jack Charlton – The brothers who conquered the world together, winning the World Cup on the same team. Adding to his league titles, Sir Bobby claimed the prestigious Ballon d’Or, while Jack led Leeds to a league title in 1969.
Michael & Brian Laudrup – A pair of footballing artists, blessed with unrivaled skill and a near-telepathic connection on the pitch. Watching them play was pure joy—always.
Other Special Mentions: John & Peter Utaka, Giuseppe & Franco Baresi, Frank & Ronald De Boer, Gabriel & Diego Milito, Paolo & Fabio Cannavaro, Ronald & Erwin Koeman, Jérôme & Kevin-Prince Boateng, Lars & Sven Bender, Filippo & Simone Inzaghi, Anton & Rio Ferdinand, Aleksei & Vasili Berezutski, and Eden & Thorgan Hazard.
Comment below with your favourite sibling pair in football!
