Fathers and sons who have played football for Wales (2024)

Published

5 June 2024

Lewis Koumas could soon emulate his father by becoming a Wales international but he is not the first son to follow in their parent's footsteps.

The Liverpool teenager is among five uncapped players named by Wales manager Robert Page for this month's friendlies away to Gibraltar and Slovakia.

It is a first senior call for the 18-year-old whose father Jason won 34 Welsh caps between 2001 and 2009, scoring 10 goals.

BBC Wales Sport recalls some of the other sons who have pulled on the red shirt for the land of their father.

Billy Hole won 9 caps for Wales between 1921 and 1928, scoring one goal.

Swansea-born, he played almost 400 games for his home town club, including the Swans' first ever match in the Football League.

His son Barrie also represented Wales at senior level, winning 30 caps from 1963 to 1970.

The midfielder began his career at Cardiff City, making over 200 appearances for the Bluebirds.

With stints at both Blackburn Rovers and Aston Villa, Hole would finish his career with a two-year spell at hometown club Swansea City.

Ivor Jones holds the distinction of being the first Welsh international who played for Swansea City - then known as Swansea Town - having won 10 caps between 1920 and 1926.

Cliff Jones is recognised as a true great of Welsh football, having famously helped Tottenham Hotspur to the double in the 1960-61 season.

The Swansea-born winger won 59 caps for Wales, scoring 16 goals, including a headed winner against England in only his second cap.

Jones also starred in the Wales team who reached the 1958 World Cup quarter-final.

Mel Charles featured in the 1958 World Cup quarter-final when Wales were beaten by a first international goal from Brazilian legend Pele.

Mel's older brother and Wales icon John Charles was also selected in the 1958 World Cup squad, but did not feature in the quarter-final due to injury.

A year later, Mel signed for Arsenal, having made more than 230 appearances for his hometown club Swansea, and would win 31 caps for Wales up to 1962.

Like his father, Jeremy also began his senior career with the Swans, becoming a key figure as the club climbed the divisions under manager John Toshack.

Continuing to follow in both his father's and uncle's footsteps, Jeremy went on to win 19 caps for Wales, scoring one goal, between 1980 and 1986.

Paul Bodin scored three goals - all penalties - during his 23 international appearances between 1990 and 1994, but many Welsh fans will remember him for a spot-kick he missed.

In November 1993, Wales' hopes of reaching the World Cup ended with a 2-1 defeat by Romania in their final qualifier at a packed Cardiff Arms Park.

With the game level at 1-1, Wales won a penalty and designated-taker Bodin stepped up, only to see his spot-kick rattle off the bar.

Romania's Florian Raducioiu then struck late to seal the win and shatter Welsh hearts.

A quarter of a century later, Bodin's son Billy won his first - and to date only - Welsh cap in the 1-0 China Cup defeat to Uruguay in 2018.

The forward came on as a second-half substitute, replacing Sam Vokes in a match that was Ryan Giggs' first defeat as Wales boss.

Father Robbie won 39 caps for Wales between 1995 and 2004 in a career that included spells at Leicester City, Blackburn Rovers and Derby County.

In all, the Wrexham-born midfielder made 346 Premier League appearances before embarking on a media career.

Like his father, Charlie began at Manchester United's academy and made his first-team debut in December 2021 when he replaced Juan Mata in the Champions League tie against Young Boys - while his father was commentating on the match.

The 21-year-old midfielder, now at Reading, has since made his Wales debut, in a 4-0 friendly win against Gibraltar in October 2023.

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