Six stars who weren't as good as their brothers including Rooney and Lukaku

Most of us have fond childhood memories of kicking a ball around with siblings, so it's no surprise that the game has been graced with some infamous brother pairings down the years.

But unfortunately - as we all know too well - not everyone is on the same level. It's an unfortunate burden that some of us (the better siblings) have to bear, but it must be even harder to handle under the spotlight of the professional game.

Can you imagine trying to live up to the accolades that Wayne Rooney has racked up during his career? Or trying to keep with Romelu Lukaku and his plethora of mega-money transfers? Here, Mirror Football takes a look at six footballers who have been outshone by their more prominent older brothers...

John Rooney (Wayne Rooney)

While his older brother became the all-time leading goalscorer at one of the biggest clubs in the world, John Rooney has taken a slightly different path. The 31-year-old has spent the majority of his career in the lower leagues, turning out for a string of EFL clubs.

Like his brother, Rooney started his career at Everton after joining the Toffees as a youngster. But he failed to make the grade at Goodison Park and was released at the age of 12. He was handed his senior debut at the age of 18 by Macclesfield, but he was lured away to America after just two years with the minnows. Short spells with New York Red Bulls and Orlando City followed, but eventually Rooney ended up back in the EFL.

Rooney's most successful spells have come at Barrow - who he helped fire into League Two from the National League back in 2020 - and Stockport. The goalscoring midfielder agreed to return to Barrow for a second stint in Cumbria in January, penning a two-and-a-half-year deal with the League Two side.

Join the debate! Who would you add to this list of inferior footballing brothers? Let us know here.

Jordan Lukaku (Romelu Lukaku)

Jordan Lukaku is just one year younger than Romelu, but already their careers in football are worlds apart. Lukaku junior has fared better than the majority of the siblings who feature on this list, but he's failed to keep up with his goalscoring brother, who has racked up almost £300million in cumulative transfer fees during his career.

Lukaku is a full-back by trade and started his career with his brother at Anderlecht. But after failing to made the grade with the Belgian giants, Lukaku thrived during a three-year spell with Anderlecht's rivals, Oostende.

His form in Belgium earned him a big move to Lazio in the summer of 2016, but he's been plagued by injuries throughout his time in Italy. He's currently on loan at Serie B side Vicenzia, a switch he agreed to back in January as he bids to kickstart his career.

Laurence Maguire (Harry Maguire)

Harry Maguire is another England star who has a younger brother who has been a long-term fixture in the non-league scene. Laurence Maguire is currently vying for promotion to the EFL with Chesterfield, with the Spireites currently in the play-off mix.

At 25, Maguire is four years younger than his prominent brother and is also a strapping centre-half. Maguire junior has spent his entire career with Chesterfield after coming through the ranks at the Technique Stadium, racking up just shy of 150 appearances during that time.

While Maguire is yet to grace the EFL, he has also represented England like his older brother. Maguire has been capped twice by the England C team - the nation's non-league team - back in the 2018/19 campaign.

Felix Kroos (Toni Kroos)

Felix Kroos is only one year younger than Toni Kroo s, but unlike his brother, he's already retired from the professional game. Kroos junior hung up his boots last summer and is currently the assistant coach of Union Berlin's U19 team.

Kroos spent his entire playing career in Germany and turned out for the likes of Werder Bremen and Union Berlin. While he never reached the heights that his brother did, Kroos junior was also capped by the German national side at youth level - although he failed to win a senior cap.

Kroos brought the curtain down on his 13-year career last year his final club, Eintracht Braunschweig, were relegated to the German third tier. In an Instagram post, he wrote: "I make this decision with full conviction and a smile on my face, now real life begins for me and I couldn't be more excited."

Jonathan Benteke (Christian Benteke)

While Christian Benteke has bagged big goals in the Premier League, his little brother, Jonathan Benteke, has struggled to make a name for himself in the professional game. The Belgian winger spent a year with Crystal Palace - alongside his brother - back in 2016, but he was released after making just a solitary appearance.

Unfortunately, the 27-year-old hasn't fared much better since being given the boot by the Eagles. Benteke had short stint with Oldham Athletic in the EFL after a brief spell in Cyprus turned sour.

Benteke moved back to Belgium in a bid to reignite his career, but he's recently found a home in Germany with regional side FC Wegberg-Beeck. He may not reach the heights of his big brother, but Benteke junior seems to be enjoying his football again after bagging six goals in 26 games for the German minnows.

Yoan Zouma (Kurt Zouma)

Kurt Zouma's younger brother, Yoan Zouma, made the headlines for all the wrong reasons earlier this year after he filmed his brother inexplicably kicking his cat. But Zouma hasn't exactly been in the limelight for footballing reasons during his fledgling career.

While his brother won both the Premier League title and the Champions League during his spell with Chelsea, the young Zouma sibling has struggled to get anywhere near that kind of success. The 23-year-old was lured to England by Bolton as a teenager, but he failed to make the grade in League One and was released after a handful of appearances.

After a failed stint with Barrow, Zouma now plies his trade in non-league; ironically just down the road from his brothers current team, West Ham. Zouma is now on the books at Dagenham & Redbridge, but it's already looking unlikely that he'll get anywhere near the level his big brother is currently at.