Flashscore Focus: When siblings have played for different national teams
In the case of some families, however, the situation is even more complex - one sibling might play for their 'new' nation whilst the other plays for the country of their origin. Let's take a look at the famous football brothers who represent different countries on the international stage.
Kevin Prince and Jerome Boateng: A family feud at the World Cup
Perhaps the most famous brothers to ever face each other from different national teams are Kevin-Prince and Jerome Boateng. Both were born in Berlin, both had the same, Ghanaian father, but different mothers (German in both cases). They played for Germany in the youth national teams, but when senior football came around, Kevin-Prince, a year and a half older, decided to represent his father's country.
He made 15 appearances for Ghana. Just after his 21st birthday, Jerome made his debut for national team of Germany. He made a total of 76 starts for them, winning the 2014 World Cup where the Germans faced Ghana in the group stages and the match ended 2-2.
Both Boateng brothers started for their respective teams.
Kevin-Prince and Jerome have an even older brother George. All three are Hertha Berlin graduates. However, George did not make it to professional football.
Inaki and Nico Williams: Basques with Ghanaian roots
Inaki Williams was born to Ghanaian parents in Bilbao in the Basque Country in northern Spain. He spent most of his childhood in nearby Osasuna, where his brother Nico joined the family. Both subsequently became part of the football academy of Athletic Bilbao, a club that is famous for only allowing Basques or footballers born in the region to play for them.
Inaki and Nico now play together for Athletic in LaLiga. Both have been through the youth national teams of their native Spain, even working their way up to the first team. However, the older brother Inaki only made one appearance and later decided to represent his parents' country. Nico was first called up to the Spanish national team at the age of 20, in 2022 and contiunes to represent them.
The Pogba family: three brothers and two national teams
Paul Pogba, World Champion with France in 2018, and a long-term key player for Juventus and Manchester United, was born in Lagny-sur-Marne, near Paris, in 1993. Both of his parents are from Guinea and came to France with two other sons, twins Florentin and Mathias, who were born back in Conakry, the capital of the West African country.
Florentin and Mathias also played football at professional level and both represented Guinea. Stoker Florentin played 31 matches for his native country, while striker Mathias played five international matches.
Florentin Pogba spent the best part of his career playing for Saint-Etienne, he also played for other French clubs Sedan and Sochaux.
Mathias Pogba has played mainly in the lower English tiers, in the second Scottish league, and the Eredervise with Sparta Rotterdam.
The Zouma brothers: the Central African siblings who all play centre back
The Zouma surname is mainly known from West Ham defender Kurt Zouma, who is an 11-time France international. He was born in Lyon, as were his two brothers, the elder Lionel and the younger Yoan. Their parents emigrated to France from the Central African Republic. All three brothers are central defenders.
Lionel also played international football, representing (albeit only once) his country of origin, the Central African Republic.
Lionel spent most of his career at Sochaux in France where he played in Ligue 1. Yoan plays in England's lower divisions.
The Xhaka brothers at the Euros
Taulant and Granit Xhaka, and their younger brother Agon, were born in Switzerland, where their parents, Kosovar Albanians, emigrated in the early 1990s. The elder Taulant represented Switzerland in all youth selections, but moved to the Albanian team in the senior category.
He spent his entire career been at Basel in his native country. Granit also started there, then headed to Borussia Monchengladbach, spent seven seasons at Arsenal before moving to title chasing Bayer Leverkusen in the summer. Agon, the youngest of the trio of brothers, is also a footballer, but has not reached the professional level.
Thiago Alcantara and Rafinha: Representing Spain, Brazil or Italy?
Another famous brother duo is Thiago Alcantara, a Spain international who currently plays for Liverpool and former Barcelona midfielder Rafinha. The Brazilian midfielder made his name most famously at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. Their father is Mazinho, the 1994 World Champion with Brazil, and their mother Valeria is a former Brazilian volleyball player.
Thiago was born in Italy, where Mazinho played for Lecce and Fiorentina. After his transfer to Brazilian Palmeiras, his brother Rafael Alcantara, called Rafinha, was born.
Soon, however, Mazinho's other commitments (at Valencia, then Celta Vigo and Elche) saw the family move to Spain. Both Thiago and Rafinha spent most of their childhood there. Eventually, both were brought up in Barcelona's academy, the famous La Masia.
Because Thiago is Brazilian by birth, born in Italy and raised in Spain, he could choose which of the three countries he would represent in football. In the end, he chose Spain.
Rafinha, born in Sao Paulo first played for Spain in the lower youth national teams, but then switched to Brazil. His biggest motivation for the change was the opportunity to represent the host nation at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, and it paid off - the Brazilians won a gold medal at the Games.
