The dream of playing together for their boyhood club, once a childhood fantasy forged in a Neath back garden, is now a weekly reality for Rubin and Joel Colwill. The brothers are at the forefront of a new era at Cardiff City, a club rebuilding in the third tier of English football.
Their journey began with makeshift goals drawn on hallway doors and countless hours of two-touch football. Despite a two-and-a-half-year age gap, their bond was always tight, with Joel recently serving as best man at his older brother’s wedding. Their shared path saw them both join Cardiff’s academy at the age of seven, with their parents navigating the daily logistics of training sessions.
A pivotal moment in their shared history came in 2012, when as young fans, they witnessed Cardiff’s Carling Cup final at Wembley. More than a decade later, they are creating their own history on the pitch. Earlier this season, they became the first pair of brothers to start a match for Cardiff since 1983.
For Joel, this campaign represents a breakthrough after productive loan spells elsewhere. His first goal for the club, assisted by Rubin, was a moment of profound significance. “You dream of those little details, like seeing your names linked on a scoreboard,” Joel reflected. “For it to actually happen is surreal.”
Rubin’s trajectory was more meteoric. At just 19, and with minimal senior experience, he received a shock call-up to the Welsh national team for the European Championship, training alongside icons like Gareth Bale. He describes the experience as overwhelming but invaluable for his development.
Now, their ambition is set on a new shared goal: representing Wales together on the international stage. Joel earned his first senior cap recently, an occasion Rubin watched from the stands. Both are determined to make that a regular occurrence.
Under their new manager, the team is adopting a possession-based style of play, a philosophy the brothers, who grew up admiring teams like Barcelona, are embracing. They acknowledge the immense physical and tactical work required behind the scenes to execute this vision.
Reflecting on the frantic school-day routine of racing from the bus to training in Cardiff, the brothers agree the hectic schedule was worth the sacrifice. Yet, they are united in their belief that their current success is not the final destination.
“We recognize this is amazing,” Rubin said, “but we see it as a foundation. Our focus is on rising through the leagues with Cardiff and achieving even more together.”
