Meet Floki: Brazil's Footvolley Dog
Rio de Janeiro's main beaches are always filled with activity on sunny weekends. But on a recent Sunday, people held up their phones to record athletic feats they'd never before seen, or even imagined.
The game? Footvolley, a mix of soccer and beach volleyball. The athlete? A 3-year-old border collie named Floki.
Footvolley rules are essentially the same as beach volleyball, but with a lower net and, like soccer, players are not allowed to use their hands and arms.
It's a game people often struggle with — but not Floki. He has become something of an internet sensation in Brazil, with hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram and TikTok.
A footvolley coach and Floki's owner, Gustavo Rodrigues says he didn't plan this. But when, at just 2 months old, Floki started jumping after birthday balloons, Rodrigues realized he might have potential.
Footvolley players need good agility, coordination and timing. Covering one side of the court between just two people means a lot of running back and forth on soft sand under the hot sun. It's difficult, but Rodrigues says Floki was a natural.
When playing, he barks at Rodrigues to pass him the ball and seems to at least understand the basic rules. At times, rather than passing back to Rodrigues, he sneaks the ball over the net himself to score a point. Then he jumps into Rodrigues' arms to celebrate.
They win about one in every three, Rodrigues said, and the people they play against are always desperate to avoid being beaten by a dog.
As Floki's follower count has grown, so have offers for partnerships. Rodrigues and Floki live in Brasilia, the capital, but often travel to Rio and other Brazilian states to show off his skills, make marketing appearances and create social media content.
