Brighton star Yasin Ayari has revealed that he is due to become a father – and the mother of his child is the sister of both an international team-mate, and a Premier League rival.
The Sweden international celebrated his goal against Burnley in Brighton’s 2-0 home win against the Clarets by tucking the ball under his shirt and appearing to suck his thumb – Premier League shorthand for a father-to-be.
But in an Instagram post shared a day after the victory, some football fans were surprised to discover that his partner is none other than Sandra Kulusevska, the older sister of Tottenham standout Dejan Kulusevski.
Ayari and Kulusevska have been engaged since May 2024, with the 29-year-old now based in Brighton.
The couple shared a sweet snap of social media of Ayari in silhouette kissing his fiancee’s bump, captioning the picture: ‘Our family is growing, 2026 (heart emoji)’.
Spurs star Kulusevski and 22-year-old Ayari are international team-mates, with 45 and 17 caps to their names respectively.
Yasin Ayari has confirmed that he is expecting a baby with his fiancee, Sandra Kulusevska
The Brighton star hinted at the new arrival with his pointed goal celebration against Burnley
Despite her ties to Brighton through Ayari, Kulusevska has also maintained a steadfast relationship with her brother’s side, taking to the pitch with her niece, Kulusevski’s daughter Leonie, at the end of the season for the family and friends’ lap of appreciation.
Kulusevski has previously highlighted his sister’s support of his budding career, with the 25-year-old sharing a story about her involvement in motivating him during challenging times at his former club Juventus.
‘I had barely started a game at Juventus for six months,’ Kulusevski told Players’ Tribune. ‘You feel terrible, because you’ve given your life to play this game, training as hard as you can, and you end up watching players play in your position that are not even wingers.
‘Honestly, I felt embarrassed, even worthless. Some people began saying that I wasn’t good enough, that I was too slow. And it affects you, 100%. It’s normal, it’s human. When you begin to believe them, that’s the devil right there.
‘I should have shut out the noise, because the only critic I respect is my older sister, Sandra. And she is brutal. Even when I’m scoring, she’ll be like, “You’ve lost it. You don’t have the hunger. You’re too comfortable.”
‘And I want to explode. I’m like, “YOU DON’T RESPECT ME. YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT I’VE PUT INTO THIS GAME.”
29-year-old Kulusevska is the older sister of injured Tottenham star Dejan Kulusevski
The couple shared a sweet photograph in front of their Christmas tree to announce the news
Despite her loyalty to Brighton, Kulusevska also maintains allegiances to Spurs (pictured with Kulusevski’s wife Eldina Ahmic and daughter Leonie)
‘But Sandra is telling the truth. She has seen me play since I was a kid, and when something is bothering me, she can tell. When I was struggling at Juve, she said, “Deki, when did you become weak?”
‘I knew I had to get away.’
Kulusevski joined Spurs in 2022, and has been a lynchpin in the side under a handful of different managers.
However, the Sweden international has been unable to work with Thomas Frank in competitive action this season, with the star still sidelined following a knee injury he picked up last May.
