Olive, the one year-old sausage dog, is the most famous sports dog of 2025.The beautiful miniature Daschund belongs to Irish Tour de France cyclist Ben Healy who wore the 2025 Yellow Jersey - a first for an Irishman since Stephen Roche in 1978 - for two days.Pride of place beside him as he was snapped in the famous top was Olive, brought from his Andorra base by his girlfriend Martha.The Dachshund ‘wowed’ everyone associated with world’s most famous bike race and the New York Times went as far as to brand her the ‘breakout star’ of the race.It has placed a spotlight on the pooches behind some of the biggest superstars in sport. From Lionel Messi to Roy Keane these elite athletes would be lost without their four legged best friends. And we reveal the secrets behind some of their names.1. Novak Djokovic - poodles - Pierre & TeslaNovak Djokovic is the owner of two poodles, Tesla and Pierre, both of whom have their own passports and travel frequently with the tennis star. The tennis superstar is also more than just interested in his own pets and who, along with wife Jelena, revealed he was going to invest $20 million in a facility for stray/abandoned dogs.Serbian Djokovic has revealed Tesla is named for Serbia’s national hero Nikola Tesla, the inventor and engineer who discovered and patented the rotating magnetic field, the basis of most alternating-current machinery and namesake of Elon Musk’s car brand. 2. Neymar - Golden Retrievers - Poker, Truco, Flush The 128-times capped Brazil striker’s spells with Barcelona and PSG saw him frequently pictured with his Golden Retrievers Poker, Truco, and Flush.Poker is the eldest, adopted in 2014, and named “because poker is one of the things I love to do the most,” said the soccer starTruco is a trick-taking card game, while a Flush is also a poker associated term, although neither dog features as much on Neymar’s social media.However all three were seen playing football with Neymar in his garden when he flew home to Brazil during COVID.3. Harry Kane - Labradors - Brady & WilsonKane and his wife of six years Katie Goodland own two Labrador retrievers, Brady and Wilson.Brady is named after legendary NFL quarterback Tom Brady whom the player has described as a great inspiration on his career and who has recently invested in Birmingham FC as a minority owner.There was considerable speculation as to who Wilson was named after but Kane has revealed there was no secret: “My wife actually named the other one Wilson.”4. Lionel Messi - Bordeaux Mastiff - HulkLionel Messi owns an enormous Bordeaux Mastiff named Hulk, a 2016 present from his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, a breed that can grow to 27 inches and weigh over 110 pounds!Heartbreakingly, Lionel and Antonela have spoken about having to leave Hulk behind in Europe following his move from PSG to David Beckham’s Inter Miami as it was decided best for the dog’s health.French Bordeaux Mastiffs (AKA le Dogue de Bordeaux) have an average lifespan from five-to-eight years although some may live up to 11 years.Lionel returned the pet favour by giving his wife a gift of a brown Toy Poodle pup Abu in 2020.5. Tom Brady - terrier mix & Beagle - Fluffy & ScoobieBrady was first associated with a brown Pitbull-mix called Lua who was adopted from a local animal shelter in 2014 before adopting a Beagle called Scooby in 2015.Lua, who famously appeared in a 2014 UGG commercial playing ‘fetch’ on the beach with Brady, passed away in December 2023. This prompted the heartbroken family to adopt a black and white terrier-mix puppy Fluffy from a Los Angeles rescue centre Wags and Walks.Three rescue dogs from three? Gisele Bundchen, his 13 year partner said: “I thought by rescuing them I would be helping them have a better life, but today I see that we are the ones who got a better life by experiencing their unconditional love every day.” 6. Bruce Koepka - Black Labrador - Cove Golfer Brooks Koepka and his wife Jena Sims were married in 2022 and had their first child, Crew, in 2023 following a difficult pregnancy that saw him born premature and via C-section.Crew’s birth and subsequent health in ICU was documented on social media frequently and the couple’s black Labrador Cove featured prominently.Among the posts were: “We can’t wait for Cove to meet her little brother.”There followed a host of posts featuring Jena Sims, Crew and Cove on his release from hospital.CR7. Cristiano Ronaldo - Labrador - MaroscaRonaldo owns several dogs including Labrador Marosca with whom he was first photographed in 2015.There is a younger Labrador called Bobby Moore, named after the England 1966 World Cup winning captain, while he also owns a Yorkshire Terrier named “Abelhinha” and a white poodle.The soccer player’s wife Georgina has claimed the ownership of Pepe, a bald sphynx cat that joined the family in 2019.8. Serena Williams - Yorkshire Terrier - ChipSerena Williams has a Yorkshire Terrier called Chip which, she says, is named after her long-time close friend Christopher ‘Chip’ Rafael Nadal.The tennis star had previously owned a Yorkie, Lauerlei, who lived to 18 years-old and a Jack Russell named Jackie.Chip is estimated to be nine or ten years-old and is a regular at tennis events such as the US Open with her owner.Williams, who won 23 major women’s singles titles and is the only player to accomplish a career Golden Slam in both singles and doubles, allows Chip his own Instagram account, @christopherchip.9. Michelle Wie - Sheepdogs - Gatsby, DaisyMichelle Wie has two sheepdogs, the older Gatsby and younger Daisy.The Hawaiian-born golfer and her husband, Jonnie West Director of Basketball Operations for the Golden State Warriors franchise, regularly feature both dogs on their social media.Adorably, their family posts surrounding the birth of their first child, daughter Makenna, in 2020 prominently featured both pets and the fact they were soon to get an addition to the family.10. Andy Murray - Flat-Coated Retriever - TBAAndy Murray was said to have been distressed by the loss of both his long term Border Terrier pets, Maggie May (2008-22) and Rusty (2011-2024), in quick succession. Maggie May, named after Rod Stewart’s song, was even an author with ‘How to Look After Your Human: A Dog’s Guide’ while it was a full eight months after Rusty’s passing before he shared on social media in late July there was a “new addition to the family.”The puppy, a Flat-Coated Retriever, has yet to have his/her name revealed.Murray also sponsors two World Wildlife Fund Fund Belgian Shepherd sniffer dogs, based at Nepal’s Chitwan National Park and trained to track poaching activities. They are named Murray and Sears (his wife Kim’s surname).11. Memphis Depay - Chow-Chow - SimbaFormer Manchester United player and 102-times capped Holland international Memphis Depay had quite the reputation as a hard man on the soccer pitch but was known for love for his Chow Chow Simba.The Chinese breed known as the “Fluffy Lion Dog” has been said to be the equivalent of a real-life teddy bear.His dog Simba, originally adopted when the player was with PSG Eindhoven, was a regular on his social media during his spells at United and Barcelona.Famously, Depay at the World Cup in Rio, said he was missing Simba who was “just as loyal, sweet and pig-headed as his boss...” before correcting himself, “Oh no, make that ‘friend’.”12. Roy Keane - Labrador retriever - Triggs (RIP May, 2012)Roy Keane’s Triggs became Ireland’s most famous dog ever following being repeatedly pictured with his owner on their solitary post-Saipan/2002 World Cup-fiasco walks. “She was a great dog and went through a lot with me, ups and downs,” said Roy affectionately of his canine companion who passed away in May 2012 from a tumour.“She had a good life. She was about 13 and unless you’ve had a dog you will never understand. She had a good innings, as they say.”The Labrador even had a posthumously published book - as told to Ross O’Carroll-Kelly author Paul Howard - which revealed the Labrador-Roy chats to be hilarious exchanges about football, friendship, hypochondria, TV and more.Keane suffered a further family pet death in May 2024 when German Shepherd Jet passed away. He still has a pet dog at home, which he shares with his wife Theresa Doyle.