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Dog Invades Football Pitch But Comes Across Well In Post-Match Interview

Dog Invades Football Pitch But Comes Across Well In Post-Match Interview

Release the hounds

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

"Even men with steel hearts love to see a dog on the pitch," sang the cult indie band Half Man Half Biscuit, way back in 1995. "It generates a warmth around the ground that augurs well for mankind."

The 90s were something of a golden age in terms of animal-on-the-field action, and not just because A-list thespian Vinnie Jones was still playing. Whether it was furry football friends, rugby ruff-ians, cricket collies or even tennis terriers - you can google all of this, if you want to waste an hour or so - the sight of pet pitch invaders was a lot more common back in the day.

In Argentina, however, it appears the flame is being kept alive for on-field animal action. In a Superliga first division clash between San Lorenzo (whose supporters include such luminaries as Lionel Messi and Pope Francis) and Arsenal (not that one), a precocious pup managed to make his way onto the park for a nice old run around.

'A run around' might also describe what Didier Dogba (hey-hey!) gave some of the human participants. This was a classic of the pooch on the pitch genre, with the barking Baggio nicking the ball, running with it, evading capture by several players and eventually stopping the whole game.

Johan Crufts (waka waka!) was even invited backstage for a post-match interview with Argentine telly, where did what any self-respecting dog would do when faced with a fuzzy microphone: he tried to eat it.

via GIPHY

In a world of the dogged defender, the terrier-like midfielder, of strikers sniffing out chances in the box and keepers barking out instructions (c'mon, we're on fire here!), perhaps it isn't surprising that the four-legged Franz Beckenbauer was such a success. He couldn't be much worse than the Arsenal di Sarandi players: they're sitting dead last in the Argentine Primera Division table.

Maybe we can start a campaign to bring the wholesome sight of animal interaction with sports back to the highest echelons of the game. The sight of Neymar pretending to writhe in pain would certainly be improved if there was a Mr Burns-esque 'Release the Hounds' button in the dugout.

via GIPHY

Still, we can but dream. "Trouble is, these days you never see a dog on the pitch," ends the aforementioned Half Man Half Biscuit classic. Unless you live in Argentina, of course, in which case they have it covered.

Featured Image Credit: 20th Century Fox

Topics:ย Dog, Football