The Swiss Super League game at the Thun stadium in the canton of Bern was halted after a few minutes when the fast-moving, weasel-like animal scooted back and forth across the pitch.

The televised game briefly resumed before the animal reappeared on the field, eluding the efforts of officials and players to catch it.

Eventually, Zurich defender Loris Benito chased the marten and a cheer went up from the stands when he lunged to the ground and caught it.

But the animal bit Benito on the finger and got away.

The marten ran across the field again to the delight of the crowd before being tracked down by Zurich’s goalkeeper, David Da Costa, who was equipped with gloves.

Benito told SRF, the Swiss broadcaster, that it may have been a mistake to go after the marten.

“In hindsight, I was probably a bit foolish,” he said.

“You don’t know what sort of disease it might be carrying.”

The bite, he said, was “painful”.

A security official told Blick.ch that the marten was later released outside the stadium.

Jokes were made about the marten being a mascot for the Thun team.

But he didn’t bring them any luck: the home team lost 4-0 to Zurich.

A YouTube video captures all the action: