Oh, brother! The sibling rivals lining up for different World Cup teams

Brothers Desire and Guela Doue have played against one another in Ligue 1

>Two sons playing on opposite teams in a match. Who are you rooting for?

>But this is not a kickabout in the local park or a schools' match. This is a game at the World Cup.

>There are four sets of siblings playing for different nations on the biggest stage of all, including Desire and Guela Doue who could face one another this summer.

>Born to a French mother and an Ivorian father in the French city of Angers, the brothers play for Paris St-Germain and Strasbourg respectively.

>They have taken different paths in international football, with two-time Champions League winner Desire, 21, turning out for France and overlapping full-back Guela, 23, playing for Ivory Coast.

>"We tell each other everything and have no secrets," Desire told French football programme Telefoot about his relationship with his older brother.

>"He's such a massive support for me in my daily life."

>But could their close bond be tested in the United States?

>Should France finish runners-up in Group I and Ivory Coast finish runners-up in Group E, the pair will face one another in the last-32 stage in Arlington, Texas, on 30 June.

>When Ivory Coast defeated France 2-1 in a pre-World Cup friendly on 4 June, Guela sang both countries' national anthems before the match.

>Desire, who had won won the Champions League with PSG five days earlier, was an unused substitute.

>"It's a shame I didn't get to play against [my brother], as this was our first France-Ivory Coast match, but I'm happy, and he isn't too fed up," said Guela afterwards.

>There has been only one previous case of siblings squaring off against ⁠each other at the World Cup,, external and it happened in back-to-back tournaments.

>Jerome Boateng of Germany faced older half-brother Kevin Prince of Ghana in Johannesburg in 2010. Germany won 1-0. Four years later, the pair were on opposite sides again in Brazil when ⁠the group game ended 2-2.

>So, who are the other brothers appearing at this World Cup?

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>The Williams brothers Inaki and Nico are both Basque-born and play together for Atletico Bilbao.

>But it is a different story when it comes to international football.

>While Nico, 23, was player of the match when Spain beat England in the European Championship final two years ago, older brother ​Inaki, 32, turns out for Ghana.

>Australia have selected Aberdeen-born centre-back Harry Souttar, 27, whose brother John, 29, is also at the World Cup with Scotland.

>Their mother, Heather, is Australian, and Harry played for Scotland at youth level before switching his allegiance in 2019.

>John debuted for Dundee United at the age of 16 and Scotland at 21. Harry captained Australia in their opening 2-0 win over Turkey in the group stage.

>Meanwhile, Ghana's Dutch-born defender Derrick Luckassen, 30, joins his half-brother Brian Brobbey, 24, at the tournament.

>Sunderland striker Brobbey came on as a late substitute in the Netherlands' opening group game, a 2-2 draw with Japan.

>They share the same mother but have different fathers.

>Australia's Harry Souttar's pride at lining up at the World Cup with brother John in the Scotland squad

>In addition to the four sets of siblings playing for different countries, there are a further three lots of brothers representing their nations at this tournament.

>Laros Duarte, 29, started for Cape Verde against Spain on 17 June and was replaced by his younger brother Deroy, 26, in the 61st minute in Atlanta.

>And the Rotterdam-born siblings helped the Blue Sharks secure a highly impressive point as the debutants held the 2010 world champions to a shock goalless draw.

>"We saw our parents cry," Laros said after the match. "The feeling is difficult to describe, it's just something you dream of."

>Curacao are the smallest nation ever, by size and population, to take part in a World Cup.

>For a few minutes against Germany on 14 June they dared to dream after equalising before falling away and losing 7-1.

>The team included the Bacuna brothers - former Aston Villa midfielder Leandro, 34, and Juninho, 28, once of Birmingham City and Rangers.

>"It's one thing that we always wished for - when we were kids we dreamed of playing together in one team on one pitch," said Juninho.

>France, one of the powerhouses at this tournament, have Lucas, 30, and Theo Hernandez, 28, in their squad who play their club football for Paris St-Germain and Al Hilal respectively.

>"They have this family bond," France boss Didier Deschamps said when the brothers started together for Les Bleus for the first time in 2021.

>"This does not mean that it changes anything, but I will be dealing with two players who have this connection."

>Lucas and Theo Hernandez have won four Champions Leagues between them

>Everything you need to know about the World Cup