TWIN STRIKERS?

 27th October 2009

Brothers playing in the same senior team is a bit of a rarity and rarer still if the brothers are identical twins. When Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson took his side to play Peterborough United in a pre-season friendly in August 2008 there was a family connection with Peterborough's manager being Alex's son, Darren Ferguson. There was a family connection in the Manchester United side as well with the match seeing the debuts of Brazilian brothers Rafael and Fábio da Silva - and they were identical twins! The story goes that the only way Sir Alex could tell the difference between the two was that Fabio wore a wedding ring - but of course the brothers would often swap the ring around to fool the boss! 

Trouble came their way though on this day in 2009 when United visited Barnsley in a League Cup 4th Round encounter. Late on both brothers challenged Jamal Campbell-Ryce, with referee Chris Foy booking Fábio for foul play. However television replays showed that it was Rafael who should have been yellow carded and an appeal to the FA followed which saw the correct brother having a yellow card transferred to his disciplinary record from the innocent brother.

Full name	Rafael Pereira da Silva
Date of birth	9 July 1990 (age 34)
Place of birth	Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s)	Right-back, midfielder
Team information
Current team	Botafogo
Number	2
Youth career
2005–2008	Fluminense
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2008–2015	Manchester United	109	(5)
2015–2020	Lyon	103	(2)
2020–2021	İstanbul Başakşehir	21	(0)
2021–	Botafogo	40	(0)
International career‡
2007	Brazil U17	12	(0)
2012	Brazil U23	7	(1)
2012	Brazil	2	(0)
Medal record
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:20, 29 January 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 11 August 2012

Full name	Fabio Pereira da Silva
Date of birth	9 July 1990 (age 34)
Place of birth	Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s)	Full-back
Team information
Current team	Grêmio
Number	2
Youth career
2005–2008	Fluminense
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2008–2014	Manchester United	22	(1)
2012–2013	→ Queens Park Rangers (loan)	21	(0)
2014–2016	Cardiff City	65	(1)
2016–2018	Middlesbrough	48	(1)
2018–2022	Nantes	85	(0)
2023–	Grêmio	26	(0)
International career
2007	Brazil U17	13	(10)
2011	Brazil	2	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:19, 29 January 2024 (UTC)