REUTERS
Four sets of brothers will compete at the World Cup, all for different countries in a reflection of how steady migration around the world has had an impact on football.
Desire Doue and his older brother Guela are French-born, but while Paris St Germain starlet Desire plays for Les Bleus, Guela is an overlapping fullback for the Ivory Coast from where their father hails.
The Williams brothers Inaki and Nico are both Basque-born, and the 23-year-old Nico was player of the match when Spain beat England in the European Championship final two years ago.
Older brother Inaki, who turns 32 next week, played once for Spain too, but only in a friendly, which qualified him after a hiatus to switch allegiance and declare for Ghana, the country from where his parents migrated.
Also in the Ghana side is the 30-year-old Dutch-born defender Derrick Luckassen, who was added at the last minute to the World Cup squad as an injury replacement and joins his half-brother Brian Brobbey at the tournament.
Brobbey, 24, is a back-up striker for the Netherlands, going into the tournament on the back of a strong second half of the Premier League season with Sunderland. They share the same mother but have different fathers.
Australia selected Scottish-born centre-back Harry Souttar, 27, while his two-year-older brother John will be playing for Scotland. They were born in Aberdeen, but their mother is Australian, and Harry switched his allegiance seven years ago after being capped at junior level by the Scots.
Yamal available for Spain’s WC opener
AFP,
Mexico City
Teenage Barcelona star Lamine Yamal and fellow winger Nico Williams will be available for Spain’s World Cup opener against debutants Cape Verde on June 15, coach Luis de la Fuente said on Sunday.
Yamal and Athletic Bilbao’s Williams both missed the end of the club season with hamstring injuries and their imminent returns will be a big boost to the European champions.
Osasuna winger Victor Munoz is also expected to be fit for Spain’s opening game in Atlanta, although none travelled to Mexico for Monday’s friendly with Peru and instead remained at their training camp in the United States.
“We regret that they are not here with us, but the medical and physical conditioning staff advised them to stay there,” De la Fuente said.
“All three should be available for the next match... they are progressing well in their recovery and are doing very well.”