Missing dog found after month-long search, celebrating Mexico’s World Cup win with fans

3 min readNew DelhiJul 3, 2026 05:39 PM IST

A World Cup celebration livestream unexpectedly solved the mystery after the owner's brother spotted La Gorda among cheering fans, ending the family's month-long search.

A woman in Mexico has been reunited with her missing dog after an extraordinary twist that no one in her family could have imagined. The six-year-old dog, La Gorda, had been missing for nearly a month before she was unexpectedly spotted enjoying the World Cup celebrations with football fans.

According to Mexican outlet ABC Noticias, Ale Garcia’s pet disappeared from her home in Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, on May 24. After days of searching without success, Garcia made a public appeal on May 27, hoping someone had seen her beloved companion.

For weeks, there were no leads.

Livestream reveals the missing pet

The breakthrough came in the most unlikely way. During celebrations following Mexico’s 3-0 victory over Czechia, a livestream captured jubilant supporters gathering in Ciudad Victoria, around nine miles from where La Gorda had last been seen.

Amid the celebrations, one fan lifted a dog into the air while cheering with the crowd. Garcia’s brother happened to be watching the livestream and instantly recognised the pet as La Gorda.

The chance sighting led the family straight to the missing dog, bringing an emotional end to weeks of uncertainty.

‘Life Is Good’

After bringing La Gorda home, Garcia shared her joy on social media. “Life is good. Mexico won, and I found my dog after a loooong time thanks to a livestream lol. Thanks for the messages; she’s home now, and we’re going to take her to the vet.”

Speaking to Milenio, as quoted by USA Today, Garcia admitted the reunion left her overwhelmed. “It was a mix of emotions: I wanted to cry, to laugh, to hug her and even scold her at the same time.” She also joked about where her dog had apparently been during the family’s desperate search.

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“While we were worried looking for her, she was out partying.”

Social media loves the story

The unusual reunion quickly spread across social media, with users amused by La Gorda’s apparent adventure during the World Cup festivities.

One person wrote, “FIFA is great in multiple ways for sure!!” Another commented, “The World Cup is a wild place.”

Others described the incident as “Animated Movie material,” while another user posted, “Mexico football is all LOVE.” One commenter simply joked, “He’s the dawg now.”

La Gorda may have returned home just in time, as Mexico has given its fans even more reasons to celebrate. The team followed up its win over Czechia with a 2-0 victory against Ecuador, securing its first World Cup knockout-stage qualification in four decades.

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Mexico is now expected to face England in the Round of 16 at the Azteca Stadium, the iconic venue remembered for Diego Maradona’s famous “Hand of God” goal during the 1986 World Cup.