7 football relatives you had no idea about – including cousins Modric and Viduka
Whether it’s brothers, sons or cousins, we all love that moment of finding out two footballers are related.
Filippo and Simone Inzaghi, the Nevilles at Manchester United and the legendary Toure brothers who took the Premier League by storm are some of the most well-known in recent times.
There is also that inspiring feeling when emerging youngsters like Marcus Thuram, Timothy Weah and Justin Kluivert follow in their dad's footsteps by becoming stars in their own right.
But what about the lesser-known footballing relatives – those who don’t necessarily share a last name?
Daily Star Sport brings you some of the well-known footballers you had no idea were related below.
Luka Modric and Mark Viduka
An astonishing family link you may not have been aware of is Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric and former Leeds striker Mark Viduka being cousins.
Viduka spent his international career netting goals for Australia while Modric took Croatia to a World Cup final.
As it turns out, Viduka’s father, Joe, was born in Croatia (previously Yugoslavia) before moving to Australia, where the forward was born.
Seydou Keita and Mohamed Sissoko
Both Seydou Keita and Mohamed “Momo” Sissoko are nephews of Malian football legend Salif Keita, who won the African Footballer of the Year award in 1970.
Keita in particular enjoyed a stellar career, winning three La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues with Barcelona under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola.
Meanwhile, Sissoko is best known for his time at Liverpool between 2005 and 2008, as well as winning Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain.
Harry Arter and Scott Parker
Harry Arter and Scott Parker not only share the commonality of playing as midfielders and starting out at Charlton, but the pair are also linked through Parker marrying Arter’s sister over 15 years ago.
Parker even recently coached Arter during his loan spell at Fulham in the 2019/20 season, before going on to manage Arter’s former side Bournemouth in 2021.
James Rodriguez and David Ospina
It’s not every day that the two main players in a national side are related.
That was exactly the case for the star-studded Colombia team at the 2014 World Cup, where James Rodriguez and David Ospina reached the quarter-finals before being knocked out by hosts Brazil.
As it turns out, Rodriguez married Ospina’s volleyball star sister Daniela in 2011, though the two have since split.
Leroy Fer and Patrick van Aanholt
Who you think is the greatest footballing family in the game? Let us know in the comments section.
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Former Netherlands international Leroy Fer joined his cousin Patrick van Aanholt in becoming a Premier League footballer when he signed for Norwich City in 2013.
Fer went on to play against his relative several times during stints at Queens Park Rangers and Swansea, while van Aanholt plied his trade at Wigan, Sunderland and most recently Crystal Palace.
Yannick Bolasie and Lomana Lua Lua
Newcastle United’s former back-flipping forward Lomana Lua Lua is the cousin of ex-Crystal Palace winger Yannick Bolasie.
Lua Lua spent the early noughties running havoc for the Magpies and Portsmouth while DR Congo star Bolasie came into his own a decade later for Palace in the Championship.
The former retired from football last year while Bolasie currently plays for Turkish side Caykur Rizespor.
Marek Hamsik and Walter Gargano
Napoli legend Marek Hamsik shared the midfield with Urguayan Walter Gargano for eight years as they won the Coppa Italia in 2012 and the Supercoppa Italiana.
But the pair werebrought even closer in 2012 by Gargano marrying the Slovak playmaker’s sister, Michaela.
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