A BRAZILIAN couple who have thirteen sons have vowed to keep having babies until they get a girl.

Irineu Cruz and his wife Jucicleide Silva have been trying for a daughter for almost 20 years.

8 Irineu Cruz and his wife Jucicleide Silva have had thirteen sons and still plan to have more children Credit: Caters News Agency

8 The couple have been trying for a daughter for nearly two decades Credit: Caters News Agency

8 All of the boys are named after Brazilian footballers (Pictured: Railson,3, (left) with Rafael, 2, (right) Credit: Caters News Agency

But the pair keep defying the odds to add more boys to their brood, with population experts revealing the odds of having 13 in a row is one in 8,000.

The couple – from Conceiçao de Coité, near Salvador in Bahia State – now have enough boys to make up their own football team.

And the kids – aged from one month to 18 years old – are even named after Brazilian footie stars such as Ronaldo to Rivaldo.

Farmer Irineu, 40, said: "When Jucicleide first got pregnant we agreed she could choose the girls' names and I would choose the names if they were boys.

"I've always admired players like Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos, Ronaldinho and Robinho.

"All the best footballers seemed to have a name beginning with R.

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"So as more and more boys came along, I decided to celebrate South American football by naming my sons after the players I liked."

The family's newest addition was christened Ronaldo after the Brazil legend who played for Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan.

Little Ronaldo joins brothers Robson (18), Reinan (17), Rauan (15), Rubens (14), Rivaldo (13), Ruan (12), Ramon (10), Rincon (9), Riquelme (7), Ramires (5), Railson (3) and Rafael (2).

The footie-mad family even play as a team, taking on the local village club every weekend in a game Irineu referees.

8 Irineu agreed with his wife that he would name the boys and she would name the girls Credit: Caters News Agency

8 Jucicleide has never had a daughter so her husband has named all of their children Credit: Caters News Agency

The farmer said: "We don't have any medals. When we win, we get a goat or a box of drink and some food for the children."

He added: "It would be amazing if one of our boys ended up playing for Brazil.

"They are all good footballers – particularly Robson and Rauan who are our star strikers.

"The exception is Reinan who prefers chasing girls."

8 The brothers play football as a team, taking on the local village club every weekend Credit: Caters News Agency

8 Irineu says he hopes at least one of his boys will grow up to play for Brazil Credit: Caters News Agency

8 The farmer said Reinan, 17, (pictured holding Rafael, 2) prefers chasing girls to football Credit: Caters News Agency

Taking care of so many kids is a full-time job and Jucicleide revealed she doesn’t have time for much else.

She said: "Every lunch time I cook a kilo of rice, a kilo of beans and an extra-large packet of macaroni.

"Of course there are times when things are tough but nobody ever goes hungry.

"If we have one loaf of bread, it's divided and shared between everybody.

"The good thing is that all my boys are well behaved."

But she revealed she still has her heart set on a little girl.

She said: "It would be wonderful to be able to choose her name and to finally hold up the red card to my husband."

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