A 3-year-old border collie, Floki, amazed onlookers on a beach in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday by taking up a game that even humans struggle to master: footvolley.
The rules of footvolley are essentially the same as beach volleyball, but the net is slightly lower and players are not allowed to use their hands and arms.
Floki bursts out of the sand to hit the ball with his nose.
He has become something of an internet sensation in Brazil, with hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram and TikTok.
Floki’s owner, Gustavo Rodrigues, is a footvolley coach, but he swears he didn’t plan anything.
He wanted an American Bully, a decidedly less lively breed.
Floki entered Gustavo Rodrigues’ life and quickly revealed his potential when, at two months old, he started jumping after birthday balloons.
Rodrigues introduced Floki to what is known as “altinha”, which involves juggling a football for as long as possible in a circle.
Last year, Floki made his debut in the much more complex and competitive game of footvolley, a pastime taken up by some Brazilian football stars after retirement, including World Cup winners Ronaldinho and Romário.
Footvolley players need balance, agility, coordination, timing and finesse.
Covering one side of the field with two people requires rapid sprints back and forth across soft sand in the blazing sun.
It’s no small feat, but Floki was a natural. A star was born.
