This video is proof that you don’t need a massive stadium or a multi-million dollar contract to become a local sports legend. Sometimes, all it takes is a hallway and a very supportive grandma. Over on @ronithemaltipoo, a tiny Maltipoo named Roni (short for Macaroni) is the perfect example of how the smallest athletes can have a massive impact.
This anniversary video actually revisits the moment Roni went from a sports enthusiast to a viral sensation, with over 9 million views. Between the city life of NYC and Jersey, this little ball of chaos has spent the last year perfecting her footwork.
Owner shares a throwback of Maltipoo becoming ‘soccer sensation’ in video
The clip starts with a “How it started” segment where Grandma basically acts as the head coach. She’s seen bending over, carefully placing the ball, and “demonstrating” exactly how to score a goal. At first, Roni is just happy to be involved. She’s all legs and excitement, often running in the complete opposite direction of the goal or overshooting the net by a mile while Grandma laughs.
As a Maltipoo, she naturally has that mix of high intelligence and a playful spirit, but even the smartest pups need a minute to figure out the physics of a rebound. Then we hit the “How it’s going” phase, and the transformation is incredible. Suddenly, Roni isn’t just chasing the ball — she’s controlling it.
She brings the ball in from the entry door with total confidence, dribbling like a “pawfessional” before elegantly sending it home. The best part, however, has to be the celebration; after every goal, she lets out a sharp little bark to let everyone know who owns the hallway. One commenter even called it “bark-tory,” which is the only way to describe that level of victory.
This throwback post has over 165,000 likes. And fans are already joking about her joining the World Cup 2026 roster. It’s hard to watch her little tail wagging after a successful goal and not want to cheer. Grandma definitely knew what she was doing when she bought that tiny net—turning her furry grandbaby into a pro athlete.
