We are all well aware of some of the most-famed families in football, such as the Nevilles – Gary and Phil – and the Toures – Yaya and Kolo.
As well as brothers, there have been a number of fathers and sons to play in the Premier League. Alfie Haaland and Erling are the latest high-profile examples whilst Peter Schmeichel and Kasper became only the second father-and-son duo to win the Premier League after Ian Wright and Shaun Wright-Phillips.
But what about those relations that are less known? Football FanCast brings you 10 footballers you never knew were related.
10 Harry Arter & Scott Parker
Scott Parker married Harry Arter's sister 15-years-ago, making them brothers-in-law. The pair both started their careers at Charlton, though never crossed paths.
Arter was released by Charlton aged 19 and Parker helped him during this tough time whilst trying to find a new club. He let his brother-in-law live in his house and paid him to do jobs until he signed with Woking and then swiftly after Bournemouth, where he made his name.
Parker managed Arter at Fulham during the 2019/20 season, which saw the cottagers promoted to the Premier League via the play-offs with the Republic of Ireland international making 28 league outings under his stewardship.
Arter insisted he had no special treatment from his gaffer, saying: "If no one knew he was my brother-in-law, there’s no way you would have ever thought any different. He treats me no different to any other player.
"It’s made it easy to distance myself from any sort of feeling that Scott is more than just my manager," the midfielder said during his time at the West Londoners.
9 Leroy Fer & Patrick van Aanholt
Leroy Fer and Patrick van Aanholt are cousins, with the relationship coming through their mothers. The pair played together in the Netherlands under-16 side before graduating to senior level. Just over seven months separates the two in age, with Fer slightly older than his younger cousin.
They both established themselves as Premier League players during their fruitful careers but now find themselves plying their trade on the continent.
Fer is under contract with Süper Lig side Alanyaspor whilst van Aanholt is back with his former club PSV, on loan from Galatasaray.
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.
Prior to the clash, Fer admitted he was excited for the game.
8 Gini Wijnaldum & Royston Drenthe
Gini Wijnaldum is the cousin of former Real Madrid and Everton wingback Royston Drenthe, who was once considered a Ballon d'Or contender when he became a Galatico aged 20.
The LaLiga giants outlaid £12.1m to sign the Dutchman from Feyenoord in August 2007 but he failed to make an impact and was eventually released in 2012, having made 65 appearances. Drenthe now plays his football in the Netherlands' third tier with Kozakken Boys.
His cousin Wijnaldum, on the other hand, has had a far more successful career. The tenacious, goal-scoring midfielder enjoyed a fruitful six-year spell in the Premier League with Newcastle and Liverpool.
He won the league title and Champions League – amongst other accolades – during his stay in Merseyside before making the switch to serial winners Paris Saint-Germain two years ago.
Aged 32, the 89-cap Netherlands international now plays in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Ettifaq under the stewardship of manager Steven Gerrard.
7 Gini Wijnaldum & Rajiv van La Parra
Wijnaldum features again on this list and this time due to his relationship with former Wolves and Huddersfield Town winger Rajiv van La Parra.
The half-brothers didn't actually know each other from birth, it was only when they met for the first time in a youth game did they discover their close relationship.
“I knew I had another brother, but I never saw him until that moment,” Wijnaldum told The Times.
"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.
"She 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."
The brothers both began their careers at Feyenoord before reuniting in the Premier League years later.
6 Mario Balotelli & Obafemi Martins
Mario Balotelli is a wild and wacky character, but also a marvellous footballer on his day. His time in England with Manchester City was littered with iconic moments, perhaps most notably his goal celebration against Manchester United at Old Trafford – 'why always me'.
His relationship with Obafemi Martins, the former Inter and Newcastle United forward, comes via his sister. Martins married Balotelli's sister and the pair had a baby together in 2013.
Though, it's claimed Balotelli doesn't approve of the relationship and was left furious after images emerged of Martins hugging and kissing his sister, Abigail Barwuah.
His brother-in-law, however, dismissed those rumours when speaking to Daily Post in 2012: "Mario is my boy. The respect is there because I used to play at Inter, in the youth team with him. He’s giving me my respect and I’m doing same. People are putting it in the news that he’s upset, of course he’s glad.
“He’s glad that Obafemi Martins is dating his sister. But if he gets jealous then it means he doesn’t want his sister to grow. But it’s not like that. The boy is not a bad boy," Martins said.
5 Jay-Jay Okocha & Alex Iwobi
Jay-Jay Okocha had a sparking spell in the Premier League with Bolton Wanderers following his switch from Paris Saint-Germain in 2002.
The Nigerian international quickly became a fan favourite among the Wanderers faithful and was later announced, in 2017, as the club's best-ever player.
Though, his time there ended rather sourly as he was stripped of the captain's armband before departing for Qatar SC in 2006.
Okocha, however, isn't the only person in his family to make it to the Premier League, as his nephew, Alex Iwobi, is now making a successful career for himself in England's top flight.
The former Arsenal winger has transformed into a dynamic midfielder, initially with Everton and now with Fulham, who outlaid £22m on his signature in the summer.
4 Philippe Coutinho & Juninho
Juninho carved out a wonderful career in England with Middlesbrough, where he made 144 appearances, scoring 34 goals whilst playing a pivotal role in the side's 2004 League Cup triumph.
He won the 2002 World Cup with Brazil and was handed the affectionate nickname, 'The Little Fella', due to his diminutive 5ft 5 frame.
Juninho held the record of; the most goals scored by a Brazillian player in the Premier League, up until his relative broke it…
His distant cousin is Liverpool's former magician Phillippe Coutinho, who enjoyed a marvellous five-year stint with the Reds before completing a whopping £142m switch to Catalan giants Barcelona in 2018, making him one of the most expensive footballers of all time.
Such pricetag evinced his glittering Liverpool career, though, he failed to replicate those same heights in a Barcelona shirt and eventually left for Aston Villa on a permanent deal in 2022.
He now plies his trade in Qatar with Al-Duhail SC, on loan from the Villians.
3 Luka Modrić & Mark Viduka
Perhaps the most surprising relation on this list, certainly to us. Australian striker Mark Viduka is the distant cousin of Balon d'Or winner Luka Modrić.
Viduka is half-Croatian on his Dad's side and could have represented the country at senior level but chose to play for the nation where he was born.
The prolific forward netted an admirable 92 Premier League goals in 240 appearances whilst his blood relative racked up 127 appearances in England's top flight with Tottenham Hotspur.
The pair have both played for Dinamo Zagreb, but not simultaneously.
2 Sergio Aguero & Diego Maradona
Many will know the two Argentine icons are indeed related but nevertheless, it's still worth noting.
The legendary Diego Maradona, who is considered one of the greatest players of all time, was Sergio Aguero's father-in-law.
The former Manchester City forward married his daughter, Gianinna Maradona, in 2008 and the couple spent four years together before parting ways. Their marriage bore them a son – Benjamin – whose godfather is Lionel Messi.
1 Lionel Messi & Bojan Krkic
Lionel Messi and Bojan Krkic, former Barcelona and Stoke City forward, are distant cousins and in fact, played together during their stints at the Catalan club.
Bojan was tipped to be the next Messi, but his promising trajectory never touched the heights of his relative, who is widely considered the sport's GOAT (greatest of all time).
Notwithstanding that, the Spaniards still enjoyed a successful career with this time at Barcelona a particular highlight, making 163 appearances, scoring 41 goals whilst laying on 19 assists.
