We’ve seen great and brilliant players won the UEFA Champions League with different clubs across Europe, some have won it twice, some once, but the unique part of the tournament is seeing siblings who have also won the prestigious competition.
The dream of every professional football player is to succeed while still very much active, and in football been successful doesn’t come much better than winning one of the most prestigious European competitions (Champions League) in football.
Here are the top 6 brothers that have won the highly fancied UEFA Champions League.
- Rafinha & Thiago – (Alcantara Brothers)
With the kind of abundant quality the two brothers possess as a footballer, it isn’t a surprise that Brazilian legend and World Cup winner Mazinho is their father.
The legend brought a lot of quality and flair into the Samba Boys national team during his playing days going on to win the USA 94 World Cup, as well as the Copa America in 1989 in Brazil. Seeing his sons performing magic with their various clubs isn’t a surprise, without a doubt, we could say they’ve taken a lot from their father Mazinho.
The Alcantara brothers came through Barcelona’s youth system before finally graduating to the first team.
However, while Rafinha remains at the club at that time, Thiago decided to join Bayern Munich in 2013 for enough satisfying playing time, having been playing second fiddle to the likes of Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez who were at their peak then.
The Alcantara family is known to be synonymous with football success, but one tournament their father couldn’t win was the European Cup, now the Champions League, fortunately, the brothers were able to achieve that.
Thiago Alcantara who is the elder son has won the gong twice with two different clubs in Europe, with Barcelona in 2011 and Bayern in 2020.
While his kid brother won it alongside his compatriot Neymar in 2015 with club legends Luis Suarez and Messi at Barcelona.
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- Gabriel & Diego – (Milito Brothers)
Any football enthusiast who did saw Gabriel donned the jersey of Real Zaragoza from 2003 to 2007, as well as how Diego donned the jersey of Genoa in the 2008-09 season would agree that the Milito brothers are no doubt two fantastic and talented player that did come out of Argentina.
The Milito brothers are two different players, one as a center-back while the other is a proper number nine striker.
Gabriel Milito played as a defender during his playing days under Pep Guardiola and did win the champions league in Rome in 2009 for Barcelona.
Ironically, the following year 2010 happened to be the right time for the senior brother Diego Milito, he won the prestigious European tournament under the supervision of Jose Mourinho led side Inter Milan against Bayern Munich scoring a brace in the final, and went on to be named as one of the best players in the tournament.
- Lucas & Theo – (Hernandez Brothers)
The Hernandez brothers are one of the siblings in football that has represented their national team at the international level, unlike Rafinha and Thiago who represents Brazil and Spain respectively, only Lucas Hernandez can boost to have won the World Cup with Les Blue in 2018.
Lucas Hernandez added to his trophy cabinet by winning the Champions League medal with Bayern Munich in his first season with the Bavarian giant, to make himself and his half brother Theo the latest siblings to have won the most coveted trophy in European football.
Lucas may have won the World Cup with the French national team without his brother achieving that feat yet, both brother would look into their trophy cabinet and certainly be proud of what they’ve achieved. Theo Hernandez also won the Champions League with Real Madrid in the 2017-18 season.
- Frank & Ronald – (De Boer Brothers)
The De Boer brothers are also one of the professional footballers that did play together for the Dutch national team and also play in the same club together (Ajax) having risen through the ranks with the Dutch giant, also in Barcelona and Glasgow Rangers.
They enjoyed tremendous success with the Amsterdam club, winning five Eredivisie titles and a Champions League in 1995, defeating the Almighty Italian side AC Milan in the final with a 1-0 victory scored by a very young Patrick Kluivert under Luis Van Gaal at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna, Austria.
Following their success with Ajax in 1995, the De Boer brothers also took their playing career to Barcelona, Rangers, Al Rayyan, Al Shamal in Asia. One unique thing about the brothers is that they are well renowned for playing together throughout their careers.
- Michael & Brian – ( Laudrup Brothers)
The Laudrup brothers are no doubt two of the finest players to have played for the Danish national team, while still very active in their playing days.
Their names were made famous among many football enthusiasts solely because of the popularity of Micheal Laudrup while playing for Barcelona where he won the Champions League under the supervision of Johan Cruyff in 1992.
Brian Laudrup was also a brilliant footballer who also registered his name as a champions league winner, with Fabio Capello Milan for the 1993-94 season.
Brian was a replica of his brother Micheal who also played at Real Madrid, Brian did don the jersey of clubs like Rangers where he was well revered, Bayern Munich, Fiorentina, and Chelsea.
In the history of football, there are many brothers who have excelled on the pitch, as such the Laudrup brothers are also part of those siblings who have achieved success both in the Champions League and on the international level.
They would always be seen as a huge reference point for every young Danish footballer who wants to play the round leather game for many years because of their greatest and talent.
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- Gary & Phil – (Neville Brothers)
Among all of the siblings that ever played the round leather game in the English Premier League, the Neville brothers are one of the most famous in the history of English football alongside the Charlton brothers.
Jack and Bobby Charlton are one of only two sets of brothers to have lifted the World Cup together, having done so with England in 1966.
The Neville brothers first made history during the 1995-96 campaign when they became the first pair of siblings to play together in an FA Cup-winning side.
Gary Neville was a brilliant right back in his days under Sir Alex Ferguson, while his brother Phil was more of a squad member of the Manchester United side, although he was a versatile player who could play as a defender and a midfielder.
The Neville siblings along with the De Boers, are the only brothers to have won the UEFA Champions League together with the same club.
They both won the most coveted European club competition with the ‘Red Devils’ in that famous final against the Bavarian giant Bayern Munich in 1999.
Manchester United current manager Ole Gunner Solskjear was the hero of the night when he scored a brace to mark an incredible comeback and sealed the Champions League for United.
Conclusion
These are the unique and brilliant brothers that have won the Champions League, either playing in the same team or with a different team.
However, the question now is how soon are we going to see another set of siblings to lift the prestigious European competition.
Where are Rafael and Fabio for Manchester United?
That’s true