Jude and Jobe Bellingham Join Forces in the England Squad
Jude and Jobe Bellingham could become the first brothers to play together for England in almost 20 YEARS after Thomas Tuchel handed the younger sibling his maiden call-up. The Borussia Dortmund midfielder, 21, has been named alongside Real Madrid superstar Jude, 23, for the Three Lions, leading up to Nations League clashes against Croatia and Spain. This selection places the siblings on the verge of a rare joint appearance that has not been witnessed in English football for nearly two decades.
Jobe has earned his opportunity following an impressive turnaround in Germany after initially struggling to establish himself following his £28million move from Sunderland in 2025. He has started six of Dortmund's eight Bundesliga matches this season, providing two assists, and was unfortunate to have a goal ruled out against Bayern Munich last weekend. His older brother, meanwhile, is already one of England's most important players, having won 60 senior caps and scored 14 goals since making his debut aged just 17 in 2020.
The History of Brothers Playing for the Three Lions
And the pair could now follow in the footsteps of some of English football's most famous siblings. The last brothers to actually share the pitch for England were Gary and Phil Neville, who both featured in a 1-0 friendly defeat against Spain at Old Trafford in February 2007, which was more than 19 years ago. Gary made his senior international debut in 1995 under Terry Venables, with younger brother Phil following him into the Three Lions set-up the following year. Both had emerged through Manchester United's famous Class of '92 academy generation.
The elder Neville went on to make 85 appearances for his country, becoming England's established right-back and representing the Three Lions at three European Championships and two World Cups. Phil earned 59 caps and was capable of operating in defence or midfield. But the Nevilles were not the most recent brothers to have both represented England, with Nathaniel and Trevoh Chalobah joining that exclusive club just last year. They became the 21st pair of brothers winning senior England caps when Tuchel handed Trevoh his debut against Senegal in June 2025.
Previous Generations of Family Legacies
His older brother Nathaniel had made his solitary England appearance almost seven years earlier, coming on during a famous 3-2 Nations League victory over Spain in Seville in October 2018. And perhaps the most famous brothers ever to represent the Three Lions were Sir Bobby and Jack Charlton, who achieved something no other English siblings have managed, which was winning the World Cup together. Bobby made his England debut in 1958 and developed into one of the greatest players in the country's history, winning 106 caps and scoring 49 goals.
The Manchester United legend was also crowned European Footballer of the Year after helping England lift the World Cup in 1966. Older brother Jack had to wait until 1965 to make his international bow, aged 29, but quickly established himself as an important member of Sir Alf Ramsey's side. The Leeds United defender earned 35 caps and lined up alongside Bobby as England defeated West Germany 4-2 in the Wembley final.
The Broader Landscape of English Football Siblings
The Bellinghams are now hoping to write their own chapter of England's family history, although they are not the only famous footballing siblings to represent the country. Chelsea stars Reece and Lauren James have both played for England's senior teams, with Lauren making her Lionesses debut in September 2022, becoming the first brother-and-sister combination to achieve the feat in the modern era.
The long lineage of international pairs dates back to the nineteenth century, featuring names such as Charlie and William Clegg in 1872 and 1873, through to Arthur and Percy Walters in the late 1880s. Each era has brought unique family dynamics to the national team setup, reflecting the deep roots of football dynasties across generations of domestic and international competition.
