The 2026 World Cup will see eight sets of brothers competing, but they aren’t all representing the same nation as their siblings.

This year’s 48-team tournament is the biggest in the competition’s history, meaning even more countries are given the opportunity to perform on the biggest stage. That also means the number of players showcased in the United States, Canada and Mexico has increased massively.

However, it’s still a surprise to see as many as eight sets of siblings make it to world football’s biggest competition. It’s even more mind-blowing to learn that four of them play for a different country to their brothers.

2026 World Cup Brothers on the Same Side

Some of the more famous brother duos to play at World Cup finals include the Ayews (Jordan and Andre) and the Hazards (Eden and Thorgan). The former both participated for Ghana, while the latter pair appeared as Belgium players.

Following that trend are Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber and his brother, Quinten. The versatile duo are both part of Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands squad. They’ll be delighted to hear they’ve even been predicted to win the whole competition.

Lucas and Theo Hernandez are in the unique position that they are actually competing with each other for the same position in France’s starting XI. The defenders are both left-footed and will hope to be the left-back for Didier Deschamps this summer.

Elsewhere, Laros Duarte and Deroy Duarte are both heading to the competition as Cape Verde make their first-ever World Cup appearance. Likewise, Leandro and Juninho Bacuna are playing for Curacao, with the latter captaining his country.

Siblings Competing Against Each Other

The most high-profile set of relatives on opposing sides this summer are the Williams brothers. Nico was a key part of Spain’s Euro 2024 success and is part of Luis de la Fuente’s squad once again. His older brother, meanwhile, will face England as part of Ghana’s hopeful unit.

Desire Doue got firsthand experience of what could happen if his France side come up against Ivory Coast and his sibling, Guela, this summer. In a pre-tournament friendly, the Strasbourg full-back scored and registered an assist as the Africans defeated Les Bleus.

Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey was called up to the Netherlands squad after an impressive debut season in England. His brother, Derrick Luckassen, is a centre-back for Ghana.

The Souttars are heading to the competition. Both are central defenders and are expected to have starting roles for their respective nations. Harry will represent Australia, while John plays for Steven Clarke’s Scotland.

Rio Ngumoha is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about young players in world football after impressive displays for Liverpool during the 2025-26 season.

The 17-year-old also recently made his debut for England’s senior team in a pre-World Cup friendly against New Zealand. Ngumoha is a tricky left-winger who rose through Chelsea‘s youth ranks before heading to Liverpool. The Blues were left furious over his departure as they lost one of their most celebrated teenage talents to an arch-rival.

The English attacker, who forced his way into Arne Slot’s plans at the end of the season with lightning displays, is expected to be given more minutes next season under Andoni Iraola, but his talent was spotted long before he ever stepped onto the Anfield turf.

Liverpool Deleted and Edited Clips of Eye-Catching Ngumoha

Ngumoha, when he was just 16, had been so impressive in training against Liverpool’s first-team stars that his superb dribbling abilities caused them problems. The Reds were trying to calm the hype surrounding the former Chelsea academy starlet by editing footage of him in training, per Anfield Watch.

The report noted: ‘Ngumoha regularly terrorises first team players in training and the club has had to delete and edit out footage of his performances from the Inside Training video series in a bid to contain the hype surrounding the 16-year-old.’

This speaks volumes about how exciting a talent Ngumoha already was in late 2024 as the club looked to manage the expectations of the winger. The pressure that comes with the spotlight of English football can either make or break a footballer’s career early on, so it makes sense to protect him on that front – while they also didn’t want to attract attention from rival teams who could try and swoop in and steal the youngster (much like they did from Chelsea).

John Terry, who worked closely with Ngumoha as part of the coaching setup at Chelsea’s academy, is well aware of just how much potential the teenager has. He gave a glowing verdict amid his move to Anfield:

Arne Slot Hinted at Believing in Youth Amid Ngumoha’s Rise

Liverpool has a rich history of blending youth with world-class talent, which was the case during Klopp’s reign at Anfield. The German turned to the likes of Jayden Danns, Bobby Clark and James McConnell, all teenagers who were on the pitch in a 1-0 win over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final. They were known as ‘Klopp’s Kids’, as the club’s beloved former coach placed his faith in the academy.

There were question marks regarding Slot doing so when he replaced Klopp at the helm, but he initially suggested he’d be open-minded with affording the youth game time. He said (via This is Anfield):

While he suggested youth would be given a chance, Slot appeared to leave it too long before trusting the ex-Chelsea youngster. Ngumoha started just five games in a poor campaign for the Reds, but still managed to be the highlight in each of them. Had the manager unleashed him sooner, he may have had a better chance at keeping his job.

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt as of 07/06/26.

Formula One fans were furious at how Kim Kardashian treated much-loved broadcaster Martin Brundle at the Monaco Grand Prix.

Brundle, whose grid walks have become famous for their candid, unpredictable encounters with celebrities, found himself at the centre of another memorable moment in Monte Carlo. As drivers, team members, media crews and VIP guests packed the grid ahead of the prestigious race, the Sky Sports commentator spotted Kardashian and attempted to grab a quick interview.

Kim was on the grid to support her boyfriend, Lewis Hamilton. The influencer has already been made aware of the rules she must follow at races, but she appeared in no mood to follow the unofficial rule where celebrities give Brundle a few seconds of their time on his grid walk.

The reality TV star and SKIMS founder seemed to ignore Brundle’s attempts to speak with her. The awkward exchange took an even more dramatic turn when a member of Kardashian’s entourage appeared to physically block and push Brundle away. Never one to hold back, the veteran broadcaster responded immediately, delivering a sharp remark that quickly caught the attention of viewers.

Moments like this highlight the clash that can happen when the worlds of sport and celebrity intersect. For Formula One fans, Martin Brundle is one of the sport’s most recognisable figures, a former driver who has become a familiar and respected voice through his years of broadcasting. To members of a celebrity entourage, however, he may simply appear to be another reporter trying to get close to a high-profile guest.

Being blocked while trying to do his job was clearly an uncomfortable moment for Brundle, but his response showed the good humour that has made his grid walks so popular over the years. Rather than allowing the situation to escalate, he used a touch of self-deprecating humour to diffuse the tension, by yelling: “Don’t shove me, I’m nearly famous,” as he created yet another memorable moment in the unpredictable theater of the Formula One paddock.

Fans React to Kim Kardashian’s Snub of Martin Brundle at Monaco GP

Brundle might have found humour in the scenario, but fans on social media were nowhere near as forgiving.

“Didn’t we just know Kim Kardashian would refuse to speak to Martin Brundle. She has no place on our grid!”

Another argued that Kardashian must have been aware of Brundle’s significance in the F1 world:

“Kim Kardashian ignoring Martin Brundle is an insult. Surely Lewis [Hamilton] would have mentioned his grid walk to her?”

A third fan wrote: “At least say you dont want an interview, instead of being disrespectful,” while a final poster summed up the scene as “the most awkward interaction I’ve ever seen.”