Statistics show that only 0.05% of registered soccer players around the globe make it as professionals, which makes it all the more remarkable when two or more members of the same family achieve that feat.

That will be the case for eight pairs of siblings at the 2026 World Cup. The way of the world these days means four sets of brothers play for different national teams and could go up against one another at some point in the tournament, although none will do so in the group stage.

Of those who will be on the same team, French duo Lucas and Théo Hernández are arguably the best known. They could line up together in defense for France, although the likelihood is that neither will start, with both expected to be on the bench.

The Dutch connection

Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber and twin brother Quinten, who plays as a midfielder for French club Marseille, are both in the Netherlands squad, and there are more Dutch family connections.

Laros Duarte and younger brother Deroy were born in the Netherlands but could team up together in midfield for Cape Verde, which is making its maiden World Cup appearance.

The same goes for former Aston Villa right back Leandro Bacuna, Curaçao’s most-capped player, and Juninho Bacuna, who previously played for Villa’s bitter rivals Birmingham City. The Bacunas are also Dutch-born but declared for Curaçao several years ago.

The Timbers’ international teammate Brian Brobbey is one of eight players who could end up facing his brother at the World Cup. The Sunderland striker’s older sibling, Derrick Luckassen, represented the Netherlands at youth level but recently switched to Ghana. The defender was called up by the Black Stars as a replacement for the injured Alexander Djiku.

Brothers on opposite sides

PSG star Désiré Doué has come up against older brother Guéla, who plays for Strasbourg, on a number of occasions in Ligue 1, and the duo could meet again in the knockout rounds if France and Ivory Coast both get through the group stage.

Guéla scored as the Ivorians stunned the French in a World Cup warmup game in Nantes last week, although Désiré, fresh from winning the Champions League, was an unused substitute.

Athletic Club attacker Iñaki Williams played one friendly for Spain but switched to Ghana in 2022 after failing to make a competitive appearance for La Roja. Club teammate and younger brother Nico played a key role in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph and will hope to return to fitness in time to do the same at the World Cup.

Finally, John and Harry Souttar could have formed Scotland’s central defensive partnership for a decade had the latter not switched to Australia in 2019. The younger Souttar, who played in the Premier League with Leicester City, will take part in his second World Cup after impressing in Qatar in 2022.

A potential family reunion in the knockout rounds

If France and Ivory Coast both finish as runners-up in Groups I and E respectively, there will be another meeting of the Doué brothers in the last 32, which is the most obvious route to a sibling-on-sibling matchup in the knockout stages.

But with 32 of the 48 teams progressing from the group stage, there are numerous possibilities for more family showdowns, which would add an extra layer to already high-stakes clashes.

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