Double take: Champions League match refereed by equivalent twins

The UEFA Champions League performed host to a chaotic conflict between Girona and Feyenoord on Wednesday which produced 5 targets (together with two personal targets), two saved penalties, one disallowed effort and a thrilling 3-2 victory for the guests.

Together with all of the head-spinning twists and turns, the match at Girona’s rain-lashed Montilivi stadium was additionally notable for one more motive which had followers watching within the stands and on TV doing a double-take.

Benjamin and Marco Zürcher, a pair of equivalent twins, had been the assistant referees whereas their fellow Swiss official, Urs Schnyder, was the person within the center.

Each aged 38 and hailing from Switzerland, the Zürcher brothers generally work collectively and have commonly assisted video games within the Swiss Super League, the UEFA Nations League and European membership competitions.

Spot the distinction 👀

The assistant referees for Girona v Feyenoord are equivalent twins Marco Zurcher and Benjamin Zurcher!

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— Soccer on TNT Sports activities (@footballontnt) October 2, 2024

The staff of officers definitely had their work minimize out because the motion unfolded in Catalonia as Girona went forward early on, solely to be overtaken by Feyenoord in weird circumstances.

The Dutch guests benefitted from two personal targets being scored by their Spanish hosts, who additionally had a aim disallowed at 2-2 when one of many Zürchers flagged for an offside within the buildup. Certain sufficient, the prevailing VAR evaluation discovered that Donny van de Beek had strayed past the final man by a matter of centimetres and the decision was upheld.

Each side additionally managed to overlook a penalty apiece earlier than the profitable aim was finally scored for Feyenoord by Girona defender Ladislav Krejcí within the latter levels.

Nevertheless, there was nonetheless time for Girona to have a penalty declare denied for handball within the 96th-minute, which was finally dropped at an in depth by the sound of the ultimate whistle after a number of minutes of deliberation among the many officers. Phew.

Whereas they will not be skilled gamers themselves, we expect the Zürchers deserve their place on the listing of well-known footballing twins alongside some real greats of the sport.

Editor’s observe: This text has been up to date because it was first revealed on Might 15, 2020

Frank and Ronald de Boer

In addition to being probably the most well-known footballing twins of all time, the De Boer brothers are additionally arguably probably the most profitable. Between them the pair gained 179 caps for Netherlands and a complete of 33 winners’ medals over the course of their enjoying careers, together with the Champions League.

In reality, Frank and Ronald performed collectively at no fewer than 5 completely different golf equipment — Ajax, Barcelona, Rangers in Europe after which Al-Rayyan and Al-Shamal in Qatar.

Rene and Willy van de Kerkhof

The Van de Kerkhof brothers had been precursors to the De Boers, with the Netherlands-born twins enjoying for each FC Twente and PSV Eindhoven collectively. In addition they each went to the 1974 and 1978 World Cups, shedding within the finals of each tournaments.

After all, Megan is the long-lasting two-time World Cup-winning star of the USWNT, in addition to the recipient of the 2019 Ladies’s Ballon d’Or and FIFA The Finest Ladies’s Participant award.

Chances are you’ll not know that her twin sister, Rachael, additionally represented the United States on the under-23 stage and spent a season enjoying professional soccer in Iceland with Stjarnan Ladies in 2010.

Ought to they each make it into the primary staff, the Fletchers is not going to be the primary twins to play on the identical staff at Previous Trafford. Brazilian full-backs Fabio and Rafael made their names at Manchester United after signing from Fluminense collectively in 2008. They spent the following six years enjoying alongside one another earlier than going their separate methods.

The pair each performed in Ligue 1 — Fabio at Nantes, Rafael at Lyon — earlier than returning to Brazil. Fabio is at Grêmio and Rafael performs for Botafogo — the membership he and his twin brother each supported as children.

Radja and Riana Nainggolan

A stalwart of Serie A for a few years, ex-Inter Milan hardman Radja Nainggolan is presently enjoying in Indonesia with Bhayangkara on the age of 35.

The previous Belgium worldwide additionally has a twin sister, Raina, who performed skilled soccer and futsal and in addition represented her nation in 2015.

Paul’s older twin siblings could not have fairly loved their youthful brother’s stage of success — most notably profitable the World Cup for France in 2018 — however are serviceable journeymen who’ve performed in France, Scotland, England and MLS in addition to each representing Guinea at worldwide stage.

Lars and Sven Bender

The near-identical utility midfielders got here by way of the ranks collectively at 1860 Munich as children earlier than parting methods — Lars to Bayer Leverkusen and Sven to Borussia Dortmund — solely to be reunited once more in 2017 when the latter joined his brother at Leverkusen.

Each brothers have since retired with Lars taking a training place throughout the Germany worldwide youth ranks and Sven in situ as assistant supervisor at Dortmund.

The tall and intimidating Berezutski brothers fashioned a human wall in defence for each CSKA Moscow and Russia‘s nationwide facet from 2003 to 2016.

Halil and Hamit Altintop

Each Turkey internationals and Schalke stalwarts, the Altintop twins loved respectable careers. Hamit — who’s 10 minutes older — was a gifted midfielder who gained the 2010 Puskas Award with a thunderous volley in opposition to Kazakhstan.

Manchester United ushered within the second era of a brand new household dynasty in April 2024 when the membership agreed skilled phrases with the dual sons of former midfielder Darren Fletcher.

Jack and Tyler, each 17, left the Manchester Metropolis youth system in 2023 to signal their first professional contracts with United, the membership for whom their father remodeled 200 appearances in a trophy-laden, 12-year stint that noticed him win 5 Premier League titles, the FA Cup and the Champions League.

Having come by way of the Norwich Metropolis academy collectively, the dual wingers have seen their careers diverge since then with Jacob enjoying within the Champions League this season with Newcastle United and Josh plying his commerce in League One with Oxford United.

Each left-backs by commerce, the Sweden internationals have solid respectable skilled careers, even enjoying collectively at Blackburn Rovers for a short time. After comparable stints in English soccer, the Olsson brothers are actually each again enjoying within the Swedish league with Martin at Malmö and Marcus at Halmstad.

The Olssons’ brother-in-law is former NBA star Dirk Nowitzki, who married the twins’ older sister Jessica in 2012.

Ray and Rod Wallace

The Wallaces had been the very first twins to play within the Premier League, with each enjoying for Leeds United within the early Nineteen Nineties. Ray bowed out after simply seven appearances, however Rod went on to attain 45 targets in 197 top-flight video games.

Nevertheless, the story of the Wallaces really began at Southampton, the place older brother Danny broke into the primary staff in 1980. Ray and Rod then each signed for the Saints, and in October 1988, in opposition to Sheffield Wednesday, all three had been on the pitch on the similar time. It was the primary time three brothers had performed for a similar staff in 68 years.

Each the sons of an expert footballer, Ramiro (the centre-back) is the one who used to play for Everton, whereas Rogelio (the striker) has been banging within the targets for Monterrey to the purpose the place he’s the membership’s all-time prime scorer.

Thomas and Andreas Ravelli

Former goalkeeper Thomas is revered as one among Sweden’s greatest-ever gamers having accrued 143 senior caps; representing his nation on the 1990 World Cup, Euro 1992 and the 1994 World Cup, and even profitable the distinguished Guldbollen award in 1981.

That mentioned, centre-back Andreas was a good participant too and managed to muster a superbly respectable 41 worldwide caps of his personal.

David and Philipp Degen

The brothers had been chosen to characterize Switzerland on the 2006 World Cup. There’s not lots to separate their careers, with each profitable a number of Swiss league titles at Basel (4 occasions collectively), although Philipp has over twice the variety of worldwide caps as his brother. Philipp most likely edges it, although, having performed for Liverpool and spent three seasons at Dortmund.

Dean and David Holdsworth

The Holdsworths began out collectively as children at Watford within the late Nineteen Eighties earlier than their careers took separate paths. Nevertheless, they did reunite at Bolton within the Nineteen Nineties for a really temporary time earlier than each moved into administration.