A dog makes a brilliant save during the match - video

Although the chances of a dog running onto the pitch during a match at the European Football Championship are extremely low, there have been instances where this has happened. But why are they so attracted to the ball?

As we reported earlier (on our hungarian site), the European Football Championship in Germany featured a large number of service dogs. Germany has a long tradition of police dog work, with more than 2,200 service dogs currently working for the Bundespolizei across the country. However, the dog in the video below wasn’t just doing his job at the match.

Four-legged friends keep order at the Football World Cup: here’s what a dog does at the game

The dogs not only scan the fan zones but also inspect all stadiums before matches, which is a significant task. Tens of thousands of seats, corridors, various sectors, and changing rooms are on their checklist. Each dog spends 20 to 40 minutes sniffing for explosives before handing over to a relief dog for rest.

However, there have been matches in the past where dogs were involved not only before the games and not as service dogs. In fact, our beloved four-legged friends even influenced the final outcome, and not just during football matches.

Ball-juggling dog steals the show at the match

In 2023, during a match in Mexico, a ball-crazy dog made a great save and got into the rhythm of the game. You can find the video by scrolling back a little. Shortly after that, during a Champions League match, a dog wandered onto the field and stole the show—and the ball. In the CONCACAF Champions League, Salvador's Alianza hosted MLS side Philadelphia Union in a rather uneventful match that ended 0-0, with Hungarian football player Dániel Gazdag also on the pitch. However, a dog spotted the ball in the middle of the game. They ran onto the field, and took it with them.

Most dogs are crazy about balls, and there are several explanations for this. / Photo: Love My Dogz

Dogs love balls, whether they're tiny ones or footballs

Playing ball is a fun experience for most dogs. The owner throws the toy, and the dog runs to fetch it back. But why do they enjoy it so much? Dogs have a natural tendency to chase things, as the instinct to hunt is still present in most of them, though to varying degrees. In the past, many breeds were trained for hunting purposes to track and return moving animals to their owners. Chasing, or hunting, is a survival tactic that even wolves use. This instinct is still alive in most dogs today, and they instinctively do what their ancestors did to survive—even if they no longer need to do it for survival. Of course, dogs know that balls are not prey, but the rolling object instinctively awakens the hunter within them. They also like balls because they’re easy to chase, roll quickly and far. And, unlike a football, fit easily into their mouths.