Key Takeaways
Taylor Harwood-Bellis is engaged to Roy Keane's daughter, learning from the legendary footballer.
Jay-Jay Okocha's nephew, Alex Iwobi, is filling big shoes at Fulham, impressing in the Premier League.
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Gini & Giliano Wijnaldum discovered a long-lost half-brother, Rajiv van la Parra, in a youth game.
In the world of football, where talent often seems to run in the blood, some famous family ties still manage to surprise us. Beyond the well-known sibling duos and father-son dynasties, there are hidden connections between players you'd never guess were related.
We're all familiar with some of football's most celebrated families, like the Neville brothers, Gary and Phil, and the Toure siblings, Yaya and Kolo. Elsewhere, the latest high-profile duo is that of Alfie Haaland and his son Erling. Meanwhile, Peter and Kasper Schmeichel became only the second father-and-son pair to win the Premier League, following in the footsteps of Ian Wright and Shaun Wright-Phillips.
But what about these lesser-known bonds? Below are the more surprising ones that link legends across generations, nations, and even rival clubs, proving that footballing talent can be a family affair in the most unexpected ways.
Roy Keane & Taylor Harwood-Bellis
The former Man United captain is set to be his father-in-law
When Southampton defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis was called up for the senior England squad for the first time, he might not have been expecting the line of questioning in the press conference. The 22-year-old centre-back is engaged to Leah - the daughter of legendary Manchester United captain Roy Keane. Asked about having Keane as his future father-in-law, Harwood-Bellis said: "Yeah, it's something that is good, and I take a lot of advice."
The young Englishman will be hoping some of Keane's leadership can rub off onto him. He's had a bright start to his time in the Premier League, but he would no doubt be able to learn a thing or two from a retired player who has quite literally seen it all. That said, though, Harwood-Bellis will also be hoping not to step out of line with the fierce Irishman.
Jay-Jay Okocha & Alex Iwobi
The Fulham winger has an uncle so iconic they named him twice
Jay-Jay Okocha enjoyed a dazzling stint in the Premier League with Bolton Wanderers after joining from Paris Saint-Germain in 2002. The Nigerian international quickly won over the Wanderers fans and was named the club's greatest-ever player in 2017, with him finishing his time in the northwest with 124 top flight appearances and becoming known for his skillfulness.
However, he's not the only one in his family to leave a mark on England's promised land. His nephew, Alex Iwobi-formerly with Arsenal and Everton and now a key player for Fulham-has certainly inherited big shoes to fill. With the Cottagers currently sitting in seventh, though, he's done a good job this season.
Mario Balotelli & Obafemi Martins
Martins is married to Balotelli's sister
Mario Balotelli is one of football's wackiest characters. On and off the field, the Italian is a five-star entertainer, even if some of the things he got caught up in didn't always paint him in a good light. Nevertheless, if his chaotic nature could be summarised with an iconic celebration within football, then perhaps it's through Obafemi Martins' acrobatic flips.
Fittingly, too, as the two are related nowadays. Martins married Balotelli's sister and the pair had a baby together in 2013. It was claimed Balotelli didn't approve of the relationship and was left furious after images emerged of Martins hugging and kissing his sister, Abigail Barwuah, but the 34-year-old has since quashed those rumours, saying that he was happy for her.
Georginio Wijnaldum, Giliano Wijnaldum & Rajiv van la Parra
The Wijnaldum brothers also have a long-lost half-brother
It's pretty common knowledge that former Champions League-winning Liverpool midfielder Gini Wijnaldum has a brother. After all, it's in the name of the former Dutch player, Giliano Wijnaldum. It is less known, however, that the current Al-Ettifaq ace also has a half-brother, with Rajiv van la Parra.
The two Dutchmen have both played in the Premier League but didn't know of each other's existence until a youth football match in Rotterdam. "I knew I had another brother, but I never saw him until that moment. I never saw pictures because at that time you didn't have the internet or social media. There was no Instagram or Facebook or anything," Wijnaldum told The Times in 2018.
"She (mum) came to me and told me he was Rajiv. In the beginning I didn't speak. I was looking at him. But I was also happy because I could finally see him. I went to play a game, but I found my brother."
Lomana and Kazenga Lua Lua & Yannick Bolasie
The Lua Lua brothers are cousins to the tricky former Crystal Palace winger
The three former Premier League stars, all from the Democratic Republic of Congo, are related. Lomana Lua Lua, known for his time at Portsmouth and iconic backflip celebrations, and Kazenga Lu Lua, who spent seven years at Brighton, are brothers with a 10-year age gap.
Both are also cousins of Yannick Bolasie, the skillful winger made famous for his dazzling performances at Crystal Palace. The 35-year-old, who now fittingly plies his trade in Brazil's top division for Cremio, also had stints at Swansea City, Everton, Aston Villa, Plymouth Argyle, and Middlesbrough.
James Rodriguez & David Ospina
Brothers-in-law
This pair is among Colombia's most renowned exports. Former Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina holds the record as Colombia's most capped player, while ex-Real Madrid and Everton midfielder James Rodriguez - who is best known for winning the World Cup 2014 golden boot - ranks fourth on the same list.
But their connection goes beyond the national team, as Rodriguez married Ospina's sister, Daniela, in 2011. The couple welcomed a daughter, Salome, in 2013 before separating in 2017, though they still keep in contact due to a deep bond.
Luka Modric & Mark Viduka
The Croatian and Australian icons are cousins
Australian striker Mark Viduka is a distant cousin of 2018 Ballon d'Or winner Luka Modric. Viduka has Croatian heritage on his father's side and was eligible to represent Croatia at the senior level, but he chose to play for the country of his birth instead.
Although their playing careers overlapped for just seven years, both players were in the Premier League during the 2008/09 season-Modric in his first campaign with Tottenham and Viduka in his final season at Newcastle, before retiring. Despite growing up on opposite sides of the world, they are related. Viduka's father, Joe, moved from Croatia to Australia in the 1960s and is a first cousin of Modric's father, Stipe.
Boudewijn Zenden & John Heitinga
The Dutch duo are brothers-in-law after being rivals for years
Boudewijn Zenden and John Heitinga, two former Netherlands internationals, are brothers-in-law, despite having been on either side of many rivalries during their careers. Zenden's sister, Charlotte-Sophie, is married to Heitinga, who is now part of Arne Slot's coaching staff at Liverpool, despite having played for Everton.
"I'm not sure how many people in the UK know about the connection between John and me... but everyone in Holland does," Zenden said earlier this year. "It's funny how our careers turned out, especially when you look at where we are today. I played for Liverpool, he went to Everton, he started at Ajax, I started at PSV. We also played together in the 2004 Euros, which is when my sister and he first met. They've been together ever since."
Lionel Messi & Bojan Krkic
The distant cousins played alongside each other at Barcelona
Lionel Messi and former Barcelona and Stoke City forward Bojan Krkic are distant cousins and even played together during their time at the Catalan club. Bojan was once seen as the next Messi, but his career never reached the lofty heights of his relative, who is widely regarded as the greatest footballer of all time after winning eight Ballon d'Or mantles and a World Cup.
Nevertheless, Bojan enjoyed a successful career, with his time at Barcelona being a standout. He made 163 appearances, scored 41 goals, and provided 19 assists. The retired forward also enjoyed stints at the likes of Roma, AC Milan, and Ajax.
Leroy Fer & Patrick van Aanholt
The former Premier League duo are cousins
Leroy Fer and Patrick van Aanholt are cousins, connected through their mothers. The pair played together for the Netherlands under-16 team before advancing to senior level. Fer is slightly older than his cousin, with just over seven months between them. Both players built successful Premier League careers but now play elsewhere.
Fer is currently under contract with Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr, while van Aanholt has returned to his homeland to play for Sparta Rotterdam in the Eredivisie. The cousins have fought on opposite teams in the past. August 2014 saw Fer's QPR host van Aanholt's Sunderland, with the West London club coming away 1-0 victors thanks to Charlie Austin's first-half winner.
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