Alexis Sanchez’s dogs Atom & Humber and other footballers who keep pooches 

Nowadays, it seems having big dogs is the new normal amongst footballers.

Mention the name of one footballer, and I’ll tell you what breed of dog they keep.

Such is the normality of dog-keeping amongst footballers these days. Everybody just seems to want to own a dog.

Perhaps for show-offs – as many of them so regularly show their dogs off in interview videos and social media posts – or simply because they love it. 

Regardless of the reasons, one thing is certain: 

Everywhere you turn to, you’ll likely see one of your star performers showing off their latest acquisition.

From the Neymar Jrs to the Lionel Messis, the Alexis Sanchezs to the Marcelos, pooches have truly won the hearts of footballers over.

In this post, we look to explore some of the names and details of dogs being kept by some of our favorite on-field stars.

Pro Tip: If you, too, would like to own a furry friend like your favorite stars, I’d recommend going for a Golden Doodle puppy, as they’re kid-friendly, affectionate, fun to be with, and the cutest breed around.

Alexis Sanchez

The first name we’re exploring is that of former Arsenal man Alexis Sanchez.

And the reason why he tops our list is because of how he so regularly flaunts his pooches. Believe it or not, Alexis regularly took Atom & Humber with him anytime he’s traveling between Chile and London, as well as Chile and Manchester, during his time in England.

According to the former Man United star man, “I am very professional in what I do. I respect the need for rest, I do not go out much, I do not eat out.

“I stay at home with my two dogs, they help me to relax. Talking to my dogs de-stresses me, we also go out for walks. All this helps me a lot to play in every match.”

While the Chilean was plying his trade in North London, Atom & Humber even got a banner to their names, which was hung at the Emirates until the Chile international left the Gunners for Old Trafford.

Lionel Messi

Anyone who’s ever seen Messi during his me-time would have noticed a giant, slobbering, brown Douge de Bordeaux (French Mastiff) dog sitting, lying, or snuggling next to him.

That brown beast you see is called “Senor Hulk” and was presented to the Barcelona star man as a gift from wife Antonella.

Strangely, Senor Hulk was merely a puppy mastiff when he landed in the suburbs of Barcelona. Today, the dog has developed into a giant watchdog.

Neymar Jr.

Neymar Jr. is another huge fan of Golden Retrievers – parent breed for the world-famous Golden doodles.

Anyone who’s quite acquainted with Neymar’s lifestyle would know how much the former Barcelona man loves playing poker.

Ironically, Neymar named all his three retrievers after some poker terms – Poker, Truco, and Flush.

Interestingly, Poker – Neymar’s favorite – has over 60k+ followers on Instagram –I’m not sure even you have up to that, Lol!

Such is the popularity of the superstar’s dogs.

Aaron Ramsey

All through his time in England, former arsenal man Aaron Ramsey was regularly seen posing with his beagle Halo, whether he is cuddling up to it or going for walks.

Beagles were originally bred for hunting hares.

Sergio Ramos

Sergio Ramos is another dog-loving footballer.

In fact, calling Ramos and his partner Pilar Rubio dog-freaks would be an understatement.

Those two are simply dog-mad.

They own two large German Shepherds and a Jack Russell cross named Lizzy, Jagger, and Chulo.

Marcelo

I sincerely doubt whether there is anyone in the footballing world who’s pet-crazier than the Brazilian left-back, Marcelo.

This dude legit owns five dogs and a little cat named Lil!

Amongst his dogs include a massive Newfoundland named Lola, a labrador called Nala, a French bulldog Uly and two English bulldogs, Kiara and Thaig.

Other footballers who own dogs