On a sunny weekend in Rio de Janeiro, the beaches are always bustling with activity. However, on one stretch of sand, people are all holding their phones, capturing a sports game they have never seen before, or even imagined.
According to a report by the Associated Press on September 10, a game called Footvolley is being played here. As the name suggests, it is a sport that combines soccer and beach volleyball. The most eye-catching athlete is a 3-year-old Border Collie named Floki.
Floki has astonished onlookers by excelling in a game that even humans find challenging to master. The rules of Footvolley are basically the same as beach volleyball, with the net slightly lower and players forbidden to use their hands and arms. Floki can be seen jumping up from the sand and hitting the ball with its mouth. It has become a sensation in Brazil, boasting hundreds of thousands of fans on social media platforms like Instagram.
Floki’s owner, Gustavo Rodrigues, is a Footvolley coach. He originally wanted a less lively American Bulldog but ended up with Floki in his life, who quickly showed potential to become a star. When Floki was just two months old, it started chasing balloons around.
So, Rodrigues began training Floki in a practice called “altinha,” where a group of people stand in a circle and try to keep the soccer ball aloft for as long as possible. In 2023, Floki participated in its first more complex and competitive Footvolley competition. This sport is beloved by some retired Brazilian soccer stars, including World Cup winners Ronaldinho and Romário.
Footvolley players need a variety of qualities, including posture, agility, coordination, timing, and skill. Participants have to sprint quickly back and forth on the soft sand under the scorching sun. It’s no easy task, but Floki was naturally talented. A star was born.
Rodrigues, 26, said, “It does things that even some professional players wouldn’t do, like positioning on the field. Sometimes the ball flies from one side to the other, and it won’t turn its back to the ball but faces it, hitting it head-on.”
Clearly, this energetic little dog was born for Footvolley matches. Even when resting in the shade of a beachside caipirinha bar, it stays focused on the nearby game.
During matches, it barks to encourage Rodrigues to pass the ball to it, showing at least a basic understanding of the rules. Sometimes, instead of passing the ball back to Rodrigues for the expected third and final touch, it sneaksily scores a point by itself. Then, it jumps into Rodrigues’ arms, celebrating.
Louisa Chioli, who came from São Paulo to Rio, was one of the spectators on Sunday. She said, “When we see social media clips, we often think it’s just edited with the best parts. But we watched it perform really well throughout. It’s really cool.”
With Floki’s fan base growing, many people are vying to collaborate and endorse it. Rodrigues and his pooch live in Brazil’s inland capital, Brasília, but frequently travel to Rio and other states in Brazil to showcase its skills, engage in marketing activities, and create profitable social media content.
On Sunday, Floki played with former footvolley champion Natalia Guitler, known as the “Beach Queen,” for nearly an hour.
“We’re about to die,” the “Beach Queen” said, panting on the sand, while Floki rested next to her, also breathless.
The “Beach Queen” posted on Instagram that she had a long match with Floki.
After a short rest, Floki played another round of Footvolley. Then, it and Rodrigues headed to a more remote beach for a marketing shoot for fashion designer Farm, showcasing Rio’s laid-back tropical vibes.
Later on, Floki promoted a dog popsicle brand on Instagram, munching on a banana-flavored popsicle and demonstrating “altinha” to customers at a shopping mall. In the evening, Floki took a stroll along Copacabana’s boardwalk, still full of energy despite being tightly leashed.
After the weekend marketing blitz in Rio, Rodrigues and Floki will return to Brasília. There, their influencer work will make way for busy competitive matches. Rodrigues said they win about one out of every three games, as their opponents always strive not to be beaten by a dog.
“No one likes to lose points in front of it, so people give their best to compete against us,” he said.