We are all looking forward to the 2022 FIFA World Cup that is taking place this November in Qatar. Though we had to wait a bit longer than most World Cup years, due to Qatar 2022 being the first-ever winter World Cup, it's almost here, and we cannot wait. There is so much to anticipate, like who are the favorites to win, which players do we expect to shine on the big stage, which team will be the Blackhorse of the torment and which team do we think could cause an upset?
A World Cup is typically a showcase for the best footballers on the planet, but Qatar 2022 promises to be a mix of potential final appearances for a group of iconic stars, combined with the emergence of an exciting new generation of talent. Previous World Cups have offered a platform for established icons to shine and breakthrough players to make their mark on the world stage, and 2022 should be no different.
While Messi, Neymar, Kane, and others will all be on the plane to the Middle East, several other star names will have to be content with watching the action from home. Mohammed Salah, Haaland, Jorginho, Marco Verratti, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, among others, are all staying at home after their countries failed to qualify from their groups.
It does not matter whether your favorite team made it to Qatar 2022 or not, tune in anyways as it is, without a doubt, going to be so much fun. There’s nothing better than the World Cup, there are going to be twists, turns, and magic moments like always.
But, while we are counting down the days till the fun starts, let’s get to know the pets of the famous footballers who are competing later this year to win the World Cup t0 their prospective countries.
Football superstars, Like the rest of us mortals, most of them have a pet, it’s usually a dog or a cat and the most common reason for owning one is the same; companionship. Many of them have shown a tendency to keep company with little cute furry pets. Well, actually not all of them are little; some are downright gigantic, but cute nevertheless. Let’s have a look…
Messi:
Lionel Messi has several dogs, but the most infamous among them is “Senor Hulk”, a Bordeaux Mastiff. This breed weighs around 54–65 kg, and the height of this animal reaches 60–67 cm. Despite Mr. Hulk’s being such a huge animal, he looks quite charming and Messi is so fond of him and keeps posting of his activities with his beloved dog all the time via his social media accounts.
Memphis Depay:
Depay has an adorable Chow Chow dog names “Simba” which is a bit unusual as Chow Chow dogs tend to be quiet and aloof, which does not make them ideal for more active owners. Still, Depay’s posts on social media show that Simba is his best companion, they go hiking, take long walks and share many other outdoor activities. It seems that Depay and Simba are the perfect fit!
Kevin De Bruyne:
While most footballers are indeed dog lovers, Kevin De Bruyne, emerges as one of the few cat lovers among footballers. De Bruyne has a beautiful English shorthair cat that he pampers.
Dani Alves:
Among all the cat-loving footballers, Mo Salah and Alves rise to the top of the list. He has four Bulldogs, but his two tiger cats are the ones who make the rounds, while he seems to hang out a lot with all his pets, his cats are the ones who get photographed the most.
And my personal favorite: the lovely Kai Havertz:
Havertz is my favorite by far because we both share something really special, our love for donkeys! Havertz, the talented German winger declares his passion for donkeys, he loves wildlife and farm animals in general as he grew up on a farm surrounded by many, but donkeys seem to be his favorite based on pictures and social media posts proof.
Some other amazing players were unfortunate enough to miss the chance to participate in World cup Qatar 2022, but have unusual pets that are worth mentioning:
Marcelo:
Marcelo is a big dog-lover. He has six dogs that he adores; he is practically impartial to “Lola” , his Newfoundland dog, a gigantic, bear-like unfriendly breed. Marcelo is as proud of his dogs as he is of his kids as is apparent from his numerous posts of both.
Alexis Sanchez:
Alexis Sanchez's dogs, Atom and Humber, are such a big part of his life, they are very cute dogs, but what makes them a tad special is that they have almost become famous in their own right. They even have their own Instagram account with as many followers as Sanchez himself!
Robin Van Persie:
Another Feline lover in the world of football stars. The Dutch footballer has a brown and gray cat that is so much into football that he reads a Dutch football magazine as Van Persie captioned a picture of his cat on Instagram.
Mario Balotelli:
Super Mario', Balotelli is a talented player with a rather inconsistent performance level who has an interesting taste in pets. He has a micro pig named Ella, which he also calls 'Super', two dogs, and a falcon. Balotelli was heart-broken when the UK refused to grant “super” an entry visa to the UK when he moved to Liverpool, his application to bring her along was met with staunch resistance from the English government, which is quite ironic given that they allowed piranhas when Mathew Oakley imported them from South America…Piranhas are ok, but micropigs are a No…go figure!
It is a pity that these stars are going to compete in Qatar without the support of their beloved pets. I sure would have loved it if they could bring their pets along, I would have enjoyed meeting Havertz donkey and playing a bit with Simba, but alas, the regulations do not allow it…