Football is a family sport at its most basic level, with dads, brothers, and cousins all participating. Even though it is a worldwide sport, everyone begins by playing at home before moving on to larger things. According to The Telegraph, 90% of children who join professional academies never make it. If you account for every youngster who has ever fantasized about being a football player, the proportion grows exponentially.
Let's take a look at some of the brothers who become well-known players.
Gary and Phil Neville – Manchester United
Phil and Gary Neville are another pair of Manchester United brothers, and probably the most famous of the past football period. The pair went on to become Old Trafford legends, with a combined total of 663 league appearances.
Inaki and Nico Williams – Athletic Bilbao
The Williams brothers currently play for Athletic Bilbao. Inaki, a product of Athletic Bilbao's youth, has made over 300 first-team appearances for the club, including a La Liga record of over 200 games in a row. In a 2–2 home tie against Real Valladolid on April 28, 2021, brother Nico made his first-team and La Liga debut, coming on as a second-half replacement for Jon Morcillo. Williams was handed a first-team contract on January 20, 2022, after satisfying a number of conditions.
Fabio and Rafael – Manchester United
Fabio and Rafael immediately made a name for themselves at Old Trafford, winning three Premier League championships between them. While Rafael continued to be successful at United, Fabio found himself on the periphery of the first team and eventually left for Cardiff. The two have now parted ways with the Red Devils after a combined 131 league outings.
Kevin-Prince and Jerome Boateng – Hertha Berlin
The Boateng siblings represent separate nations. Kevin-Prince Boateng is a member of Ghana's football team, whereas Jerome is a member of Germany's. Despite the fact that their careers have taken different paths, the brothers originally played for the same club. Kevin-Prince and Jerome played together at Hertha Berlin SC before becoming household names across Europe. Kevin-Prince was a regular for the German club, appearing in 42 league games in his two years there. Jerome, his younger brother, was only with Hertha for a year, making 10 league matches.
Taulant and Granit Xhaka – FC Basel
Granit Xhaka played alongside his brother Taulant at FC Basel before moving to Borussia Monchengladbach over a decade ago. In the two years they spent in Basel, they combined for 51 league appearances, with Granit making the most of them. After Granit moved to Monchengladbach, his older Taulant settled at Basel and has since made 179 league games. Notably, the Xhaka brothers are international ambassadors for several countries. Granit Xhaka represents Switzerland, where they were both born, while Taulant represents Albania, where they were both born.
