Missing dog found on TV partying with Mexican fans following World Cup success
On May 27th, Ale Garcia reported her six-year-old dog, La Gorda, missing from their home in Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas.
Over a month later, she was reunited with her beloved pooch in the least likely fashion, after she was held up by Mexico fans celebrating their country’s unprecedented success in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
By the time Garcia reported La Gorda missing, she had already been missing for three days. By June 25th, her family had all but given up hope of recovering her, but at the very least, they had the World Cup to distract them with.
Mexico are, of course, one of the three host nations of the 2026 edition of the quadrennial football tournament and had just finished their country’s best-ever group stage performance with a thumping, three-nil win over Czechia.
After the game, Garcia’s brother switched over to watch one of several live streams showing scenes of fan jubilation in Tamaulipas’ state capital.
Suddenly, the fan celebrating on camera leaned down, picked up a dog that had just wandered into shot and began dancing with her in sheer jubilation. A feeling that Garcia’s brother probably felt when he called his sister over to watch the footage.
He was right, that was Gorda.
Garcia and her family immediately identified where the livestream was and made the nine-mile trip into town to see if they could find her. Following some frantic searching, they found Gorda still celebrating El Tri’s win with her new friends, and after a cathartic reunion (and a trip to the vet), Garcia took her home and spoke to Milenio about the incredible story.
“After a month of worrying, I never imagined we’d find her thanks to a live video of the celebrations after Mexico winning,” she said, concluding, “It was a mix of emotions: I wanted to cry, to laugh, to hug her, and even to scold her at the same time.”