Wales hoping brotherly love can boost European Under-21 Championship campaign

Wales hope a touch of brotherly love can boost their European Under-21 Championship campaign.

The Colwill brothers – Joel and Rubin – played in the same Cardiff senior team for the first time last month and are now sharing a Wales dressing room.

The pair shone as Wales Under-21s beat Liechtenstein U23s 4-0 in a Newport friendly on Friday, preparation for Tuesday’s Euro 2025 qualifier away to Lithuania.

Proud

“It’s really nice to represent our country together,” said Rubin, 21, who has won eight senior caps and played at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

“It’s a proud moment for our family and both of us from playing football at such a young age together.

“We always trained and did football practice together, but there is two-and-a-half years between us and we never really played at Cardiff together because of that.

“It’s really nice we can do that at Cardiff now and with Wales.”

Joel, 18, made his Cardiff first-team debut alongside Rubin during a Carabao Cup win over Colchester.

He said: “To come all the way through Cardiff and play with Rubin in a first-team game was amazing and to do that for Wales was another proud moment.

“I play in the same position as him in midfield so I’ve always tried to follow in his footsteps and do what he’s done.”

With the Colwills evoking memories of the time when the Charles (John and Mel) and Allchurch (Ivor and Len) brothers played for Wales, Matty Jones’ U21 side aim to build on their promising start to Euro qualification in Jonava.

Wales are currently second in Group I following a 2-2 draw away to top seeds and leaders Denmark in their opening game in June.