Brazil 2014: Visualising ancestral and
international connections between teams
This is an attempt to map ancestral (parent, grandparent) and international (born abroad and dual citizenship) connections at the 2014 World Cup. Of all 32 teams, each team has at least one connection to another country with the exception of Ecuador, Honduras and South Korea.
Connections are calculated by each player with a connection to another country — and the total number of countries they are connected too.
Most connected team:
Switzerland
The Swiss team is the most connected team with a total of 21 connections.
15 Swiss players have connections to 13 different countries.
Most connected player:
Adnan Januzaj
Belgium's Adnan Januzaj was born in Belgium but is also eligible to play for Albania, Serbia and Kosovo through his parents. He is also eligible to play for Turkey through his grandparents.
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Full list of players and connections
This is by no means an exhaustive list — any additions or corrections to @joffley [all data from Wikipedia]
Thanks to
Florian Stimberg,
Emmanuel Gontcho,
@tractotheque,
@arodyverastegui,
@PLeClown,
@GentlemanMashr,
@scott47a,
@sirribarra,
@volmeente,
@jazzagold
and
@old_sound for additions and corrections so far.
Switzerland
- Diego Benaglio Grandparent(s) from Italy
- Philippe Senderos Parent from Serbia and Spain
- Tranquillo Barnetta Italian citizenship
- Gökhan Inler (c) Parent from Turkey
- Haris Seferović Parent from Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Granit Xhaka Parent from Albania
- Valon Behrami Born in Kosovo/Serbia
- Ricardo Rodríguez Parent from Chile
- Blerim Džemaili Born in Macedonia
- Gelson Fernandes Born in Cape Verde
- Mario Gavranović Parents from Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Admir Mehmedi Born in Macedonia
- Josip Drmić Parents from Croatia
- Johan Djourou Born in Ivory Coast
- Xherdan Shaqiri Born in Albania and parent from Kosovo
Australia
- Ivan Franjić Grandparent from Croatia
- Jason Davidson Grandparent from Japan and grandparent from Greece
- Tim Cahill Parent from Samoa and parent from England
- Matthew Špiranović Grandparent(s) from Croatia
- Oliver Bozanić Parent from Croatia
- James Troisi Parent from Italy and parent from Greece
- Mile Jedinak (c) Grandparent(s) from Croatia
- Eugene Galeković Grandparent(s) from Croatia
- Ryan McGowan Parents from Scotland
- Dario Vidošić Born in Croatia
- Massimo Luongo Parent from Indonesia and parent from Italy
- Mark Bresciano Parent from Croatia and parent from Italy
Algeria
- Cédric Si Mohamed Born in France
- Madjid Bougherra (c) Born in France
- Faouzi Ghoulam Born in France
- Carl Medjani Born in France
- Hassan Yebda Born in France
- Nabil Ghilas Born in France
- Sofiane Feghouli Born in France
- Yacine Brahimi Born in France
- Medhi Lacen Born in France
- Nabil Bentaleb Born in France
- Liassine Cadamuro-Bentaïba Born in France
- Saphir Taïder Born in France
- Aïssa Mandi Born in France
- Riyad Mahrez Born in France
- Mehdi Mostefa Born in France
- Raïs M'Bolhi Born in France and parent from DR Congo
Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Asmir Begović Canadian citizenship
- Ermin Bičakčić German citizenship
- Emir Spahić (c) Born in Croatia and parent from Montenegro
- Sead Kolašinac Born in Germany
- Muhamed Bešić Born in Germany
- Miralem Pjanić Luxembourgian citizenship
- Zvjezdan Misimović Born in Germany
- Mensur Mujdža Born in Croatia
- Izet Hajrović Born in Switzerland and parent from Montenegro
- Senijad Ibričić Croatian citizenship
- Haris Medunjanin Dutch citizenship
- Anel Hadžić Austrian citizenship
- Tino-Sven Sušić Belgian citizenship
Belgium
- Vincent Kompany (c) Parent from DR Congo
- Axel Witsel Parent from France
- Kevin De Bruyne Parent from England
- Marouane Fellaini Parents from Morocco
- Romelu Lukaku Grandparent from DR Congo
- Kevin Mirallas Parent from Spain
- Daniel Van Buyten Parent from Germany
- Divock Origi Parent from Kenya
- Mousa Dembélé Parent from Mali
- Adnan Januzaj Born in Kosovo/Serbia and grandparent(s) from Turkey
- Anthony Vanden Borre Born in DR Congo
- Nacer Chadli Moroccan citizenship
France
- Patrice Evra Born in Senegal and parent from Cape Verde
- Mamadou Sakho Parents from Senegal
- Yohan Cabaye Grandparent from Vietnam
- Mathieu Valbuena Parent from Spain
- Karim Benzema Grandparent(s) from Algeria
- Rio Mavuba Parent from Angola and parent from DR Congo
- Eliaquim Mangala Grandparent(s) from DR Congo; Belgian citizen
- Blaise Matuidi Parent from Angola and parent from DR Congo
- Bacary Sagna Grandparent(s) from Senegal
- Moussa Sissoko Parents from Mali
- Paul Pogba Parents from Guinea
- Laurent Koscielny Grandparent from Poland
- Rémy Cabella Parent from Italy
-
- Note: other players (such as Raphaël Varane) have connections to Martinique, but this is technically part of France
USA
- Tim Howard Parent from Hungary
- Omar Gonzalez Parent from Mexico and Mexican citizen
- John Brooks Born in Germany
- Aron Jóhannsson Parent from Iceland
- Mikkel Diskerud Born in Norway
- Alejandro Bedoya Parent from Colombia
- Brad Guzan Grandparent from Poland
- Jermaine Jones Born in Germany
- Julian Green German citizenship
- Jozy Altidore Parent from Haiti
- Chris Wondolowski Grandparent from Poland
- Timothy Chandler Born in Germany
- Nick Rimando Parent from Mexico and parent from Philippines
- Fabian Johnson Born in Germany
Holland
- Bruno Martins Indi Born in Portugal
- Jonathan de Guzmán Born in Canada
- Nigel de Jong Parent from Indonesia
- Terence Kongolo Born in Switzerland and parents from DR Congo
- Jeremain Lens Parent from Suriname
- Georginio Wijnaldum Parent from Suriname
- Memphis Depay Parent from Ghana
- Michel Vorm Parent from Suriname
- Note: other players (such as Leroy Fer) have connections to Dutch Caribbean, but this is technically part of the Netherlands
Cameroon
- Benoît Assou-Ekotto Born in France
- Alex Song French citizenship
- Samuel Eto'o (c) Spanish citizenship
- Maxim Choupo-Moting Born in Germany
- Charles Itandje Born in France
- Stéphane Mbia French citizenship
- Joël Matip Born in Germany
- Allan Nyom Born in France
Croatia
- Vedran Ćorluka Born in Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Dejan Lovren Born in Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Ivan Rakitić Born in Switzerland
- Nikica Jelavić Born in Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Sammir Born in Brazil
- Mateo Kovačić Born in Austria and parent from Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Eduardo Born in Brazil
Argentina
- Lucas Biglia Italian citizenship
- Gonzalo Higuaín Born in France
- Lionel Messi (c) Spanish citizenship
- Javier Mascherano Italian citizenship
- Martín Demichelis Italian citizenship
- Rodrigo Palacio Spanish citizenship
- José María Basanta Mexican citizenship
- Sergio Agüero Spanish citizenship
- Augusto Matías Fernández Spanish citizenship
- Pablo Zabaleta Spanish citizenship
- Federico Fernández Italian citizenship
- Ricardo Gabriel Álvarez Italian citizenship
- Ezequiel Lavezzi Italian citizenship
Uruguay
- Fernando Muslera Born in Argentina
- Sebastián Coates Parent from Scotland
- Diego Alfredo Lugano Spanish citizenship
- Diego Godín Spanish citizenship
- Jorge Fucile Italian citizenship
- Cristian Rodríguez Italian citizenship
- Christian Ricardo Stuani Italian citizenship
- Edinson Cavani Italian citizenship
- Walter Gargano Italian citizenship
England
- Phil Jagielka Grandparent(s) from Poland
- Daniel Sturridge Grandparent(s) from Jamaica
- Danny Welbeck Parents from Ghana
- Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain Grandparent(s) from Jamaica
- Raheem Sterling Born in Jamaica
- Adam Lallana Grandparent(s) from Spain
Germany
- Sami Khedira Parent from Tunisia
- Lukas Podolski Born in Poland
- Miroslav Klose Born in Poland
- Jérôme Boateng Parent from Ghana
- Shkodran Mustafi Parent from Albania
- Mesut Özil Grandparent(s) from Turkey
Portugal
- Bruno Alves Parent from Brazil
- Pepe Born in Brazil
- William Carvalho Born in Angola
- Éder Born in Guinea-Bissau
- Nani Born in Cape Verde
- Silvestre Varela Parent from Cape Verde
Ghana
- Kevin-Prince Boateng Born in Germany
- Adam Kwarasey Born in Norway
- Jordan Ayew Born in France
- Albert Adomah Born in England
Iran
- Reza Ghoochannejhad Dutch citizenship
- Steven Beitashour Born in USA
- Ashkan Dejagah German citizenship
- Daniel Davari Born in Germany and parent from Poland
Ivory Coast
- Mathis Bolly Born in Norway
- Jean-Daniel Akpa-Akpro Born in France
- Giovanni Sio Born in France
- Sol Bamba Born in France
Chile
- Miiko Albornoz Born in Sweden and parent from Finland
- Jorge Valdivia Born in Venezuela
- Mauricio Pinilla Italian citizenship
- Claudio Bravo Muñoz Spanish citizenship
- Jean Beausejour Parent from Haiti
- Francisco Silva Spanish citizenship
Greece
- Panagiotis Kone Born in Albania
- Loukas Vyntra Parent from Czech Republic and born in Czech Republic
- José Holebas Born in Germany and parent from Uruguay
Italy
- Thiago Motta Born in Brazil
- Mario Balotelli Parents from Ghana
- Gabriel Paletta Born in Argentina
Nigeria
- Peter Odemwingie Parent from Russia and born in Uzbekistan
- Victor Moses British (English) citizenship
- Shola Ameobi British (English) citizenship
Mexico
- Miguel Ángel Ponce Born in USA
- Isaác Brizuela Born in USA
- Giovani dos Santos Spanish citizenship and parent from Brazil
Spain
- Diego Costa Born in Brazil
- David Silva Parent with Japanese descent
