2 sets of Ghanaian brothers among 8 to feature at the World Cup 2026

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will not only showcase some of the world's biggest football stars but also several remarkable family stories.

A total of 8 sets of brothers have earned places in their respective World Cup squads, with some playing for the same country and others representing different nations despite sharing the same family roots. Their journeys reflect the increasingly global nature of modern football and the diverse heritage of many of the players competing in the tournament.

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Guéla Doué the older brother and the Strasbourg right-back developed into a strong Ligue 1 defender. He officially committed to the Ivory Coast national football team (the Elephants) and established himself as a fixture in their defense, making his tournament debut at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Désiré Doué on the other hand, is a highly-rated attacking midfielder for Paris Saint-Germain. He was integrated into the elite Clairefontaine ecosystem from a young age, representing France across almost every youth category (U-17 through U-23). He also won an Olympic silver medal with France in 2024. Because he was regarded as one of Europe's top prodigies, the French senior staff fast-tracked him. He accepted senior call-ups for France. The brothers shared a historic international moment when Ivory Coast played France in a high-profile World Cup warm-up match. Guéla scored the equalizing goal against his brother's nation.

As the older brother, Iñaki established himself as a star at Athletic Club. He made a single appearance for the senior Spanish national team in a 2016 friendly match. Because his sole appearance for Spain was non-binding under FIFA rules, he remained eligible to switch national teams. In 2022, following soulful discussions with his family and a trip back to Ghana, he officially committed to the Ghana national football team (the Black Stars).

Nico is 8 years younger than Iñaki. He developed rapidly within the Spanish youth setups, playing for the U-18 and U-21 teams. In late 2022, just as Ghana was heavily scouting both brothers, Spain fast-tracked Nico into their senior squad for the UEFA Nations League to secure his international future. Nico chose to stay within the ecosystem where he grew up and played his football. He went on to become a key figure for La Roja, famously winning international accolades like UEFA Euro 2024.

Derrick Luckassen represented the Netherlands at various youth levels but ultimately committed to Ghana. Despite expressing his desire to play for the Black Stars as early as 2017, his official nationality switch and subsequent senior debut for Ghana did not materialize until he finalized his paperwork and accepted a call-up to the senior squad.

Brian Brobbey advanced through the Dutch youth ranks and became a standout striker. He won consecutive UEFA European Under-17 titles with the Netherlands. Because he was heavily involved in the Dutch international youth setup, he was eventually integrated into the senior Netherlands squad. He made his senior debut for the Oranje in 2023 and has since been a part of their major tournament squads.

As the older brother, John was highly rated in Scotland from a young age. He progressed through the Scottish youth ranks and quickly caught the attention of the senior national scouts while playing in the Scottish Premiership. He made his senior debut for the Scotland national football team in 2018. Despite facing major injury setbacks throughout his career, the Rangers centre-back remained committed to his birth nation and worked his way back into being a key defensive figure for Scotland.

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While Harry played for Scotland's U-17 and U-19 teams, his pathway to the senior team stalled, and he stopped receiving youth call-ups. Australia's coaching staff met Harry while he was out on loan. Feeling wanted and eager to honor his mother's heritage, Harry officially switched his allegiance to the Socceroos in 2019. Standing at 1.98 meters (6'6"), the Leicester City defender quickly became a key figure for Australia, reppresenting at major tournaments like the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Growing up in Madrid, Lucas openly admitted in early 2018 that he considered himself Spanish and was open to representing Spain's senior squad. Sensing they could lose a world-class defender, France manager Didier Deschamps personally called Lucas ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Deschamps convinced him enough to stay. Lucas accepted the call-up, broke into the starting lineup as a left-back, and won the 2018 FIFA World Cup with France.

Théo’s pathway was smoother but required patience. Like Lucas, he represented France across various youth levels (U-19 and U-20).Théo earned his senior France call-up in 2021. Later that year, Lucas and Théo became the first brothers to start a match together for the France national team since 1932.The brothers are sons of former footballer Jean-François Hernandez.

Both twins came through the exact same youth paths, starting at DVSU before joining the Feyenoord academy together at age 7. They later moved to the famous Ajax academy as teenagers. Because they were both highly-rated prospects, they represented the Netherlands side-by-side across multiple youth levels, famously winning the UEFA European Under-17 Championship together in 2018.

Jurriën, who plays for Arsenal, broke into the senior Netherlands squad first. He made his senior international debut ahead of Euro 2020 and became a mainstay at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Quinten, took a slightly longer route but earned his first senior cap for the Netherlands in early 2024. In September 2024, they made history during a UEFA Nations League match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, becoming the first set of twins to share the pitch for the Netherlands senior team since Frank and Ronald de Boer in 2003

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The younger brother (Deroy), a box-to-box midfielder for Bulgarian champions Ludogorets Razgrad, committed to Cape Verde first. He accepted his initial senior call-up and made his international debut in March 2022 during a friendly match against Guadeloupe.

The older brother (Laros), a defensive midfielder playing for Hungarian club Puskás Akadémia, represented the Netherlands at the U-19 youth level. However, seeing his brother's integration into the African side inspired him to follow. He finalized his paperwork and earned his first call-up for Cape Verde in September 2023. They shared the pitch during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and are playing alongside each other for Cape Verde at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Leandro, a highly versatile player who came up through the FC Groningen youth academy. He initially represented the Netherlands at the U-19 and U-21 youth levels. Realizing the immense competition for a spot in the senior Dutch midfield, Leandro committed to Curaçao early in his career. He earned his senior debut in March 2016. He currently plays club football for Turkish side Iğdır FK.

Juninho, the younger brother, followed a similar professional path by breaking out at FC Groningen and moving to English football. He also heavily represented the Netherlands at the U-18, U-20, and U-21 youth levels. In 2019, inspired by his brother's role in building up the Caribbean team, Juninho officially completed his FIFA nationality switch. The dynamic central midfielder, who currently plays for FC Volendam, instantly added high-level quality to the squad.

Under the guidance of veteran manager Dick Advocaat, the Bacuna brothers achieved legendary status by leading Curaçao through a historic qualification campaign to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup.