Meet Floki: This Brazilian dog is a star footvolley player
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Footvolley follows beach volleyball rules but with a lower net and no use of hands or arms, similar to soccer.Floki uses his mouth to hit the ball, impressing onlookers with his skill. His owner, Gustavo Rodrigues, a footvolley coach, discovered Floki’s potential early on when the dog began jumping after balloons at just 2 months old.
Rodrigues introduced Floki to “altinha,” a game where participants juggle a soccer ball in a circle. Floki transitioned to footvolley last year, a sport popular among retired Brazilian soccer stars like Ronaldinho and Romário. Floki quickly excelled in this demanding game.
“He does things that even some professionals don’t — like positioning on the court,” Rodrigues said, explaining how Floki always faces the ball to hit it straight on.
Floki’s performances have garnered hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram and TikTok. With growing fame, they also participate in marketing events and social media content creation. Floki and Rodrigues often travel from their home in Brasilia to Rio and other locations for appearances.
AP Photo
On a recent Sunday, Floki played with former footvolley champion Natalia Guitler. They filmed for social media, and Floki took breaks for water and to cool off. Guitler, with almost 3 million Instagram followers, later posted their rally.
Despite a busy schedule, Floki remains focused and energetic. His weekend ended with a marketing shoot for a fashion designer and promoting dog popsicles on Instagram.
AP Photo
Rodrigues and Floki’s competitive matches are intense, with opponents determined to avoid losing to a dog. “It generates talk, and people make fun,” Rodrigues said. “No one likes to lose a point to him, so people play their hearts out against us.”
Rodrigues and Floki will continue their unique journey, balancing influencer activities with playing competitive matches.
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