National Dog Day: 5 Premier League footballers and their canine equals
With the dog days of summer in the rearview, the Premier League is now approaching its third weekend of play. In celebration of National Dog Day, here's a look at five footballers whose skill sets and temperaments are eerily similar to that of their canine friends.
Diego Costa (Chelsea) - Dalmatian
With a history of conduct as spotty as a dalmatian's coat, mercurial Chelsea striker Diego Costa bares a striking resemblance to the breed of large dog known for excellent stamina and endurance.
A high-strung breed that can become destructive if not afforded sufficient exercise, like Costa, the dalmatian can be a risk around small children if left unattended.
Theo Walcott (Arsenal) - Greyhound
Gangly and gaunt, the greyhound is a pacey pet of English origin whose footballing equal is Arsenal's Theo Walcott.
Like Walcott, the slender breed is a speed merchant known for its loyalty, and like the England international, the dog's slight frame is conducive to injury despite being extremely graceful and athletic.
In a fashion similar to greyhound racing when the dog speeds to catch the unattainable mechanical hare, Walcott is no stranger to streaking about on rapid runs with little purpose.
Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City) - Border Collie
Equal parts athleticism and footballing IQ, Leicester City's reigning PFA Player of the Year Riyad Mahrez is to sport what border collies are to the animal kingdom.
Specifically bred for obedience and intelligence, like Mahrez, border collies are the total package, flexing a skill set that routinely sees the breed dominate sheepdog trials and competition dog sports.
Requiring considerable daily exercise and stimulation, few systems benefit Mahrez and his canine equal like Claudio Ranieri's break-neck counter-attacking brand of football.
Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United) - Bloodhound
One is a single-dimensional large breed with Belgian roots, and the other is a bloodhound. Manchester United's angular afro'd midfielder Marouane Fellaini is capable of skying above defenders while brandishing elbows as pointy as a canine's razor-sharp fangs, and that's just about all he's capable of.
Like Fellaini, the bloodhound has a very specific role: finding items. And like the Red Devils international, the bloodhound's strong tracking instinct means that the dog is often difficult to obedience train.
Jose Mourinho would be wise to employ a bloodhound at Old Trafford with the sole purpose of locating the whereabouts of Fellaini's first touch.
Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal) - Golden Retriever
Kind, friendly and assured, it makes perfect sense that Arsenal attacker Alexis Sanchez owns two golden retrievers of his own, Humber and Atom.
While Sanchez is no stranger to posting pics of his well-tempered tandem on his Instagram account, the two-time Copa-winning Chilean international set one up for Humber and Atom which boasts 20,000 followers.
A tireless worker that will labour until it collapses, like Sanchez, the family-friendly pet with a lustrous coat has no gauge of when enough is enough.