The FIFA World Cup attracts the largest viewership on a global scale, only rivalled by the Olympics. It is a celebration, bringing visitors from all corners of the globe together to a number of cities that are chosen to host the tournament. A beautiful blend of cultures.

One of the things that have changed in comparison to the not so distant past, is the fact that many countries now field players with heritage from all over the world. Football is truly a global sport, as proven not only by the papers or formal documentation one acquires when born in a specific country but also by science. Despite the fierce on-pitch rivalry between the players, they actually have much more in common than not.

My Heritage DNA, a company that registers the genetic makeup of peoples took 8 World Cup veterans and checked their genes to see whether the football rivalry between their nations was justified. Famous players from Brazil, Argentina, England, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, France and Spain found out they were more like each other than what they might have thought after getting the test. For the history Italian star, Gianluca Zambrotta turned out to be very Greek!