One of the viral phenomena of the XXIII edition of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It is a small duck that wears the shirt of the Mexican national team and some shoes, which led it to be considered an unofficial mascot of the country.
From the vicinity of the Palace of Fine Arts, this two-year-old duck walks among fans who come just to visit him at his owners’ water sales stand. This bird, called “Merlin Duck”, has become a phenomenon on social networks thanks to its cuteness and representation of support for El Tri.
Their success was born after the triumph of the Mexican team in the opening of the 2026 World Cup, when they defeated South Africa 2-0 on June 11. Merlín was captured by users while accompanying his owner, Karla Gómez, during the sale of water.
The media highlight that his naturalness led him to become one of the most talked about symbols of the World Cup and an unofficial mascot of the Mexican fans. CNN shared part of the phenomenon of this bird, which has brought together local and foreign visitors interested in getting to know it.
Karla Gómez, owner of the domestic duck, told CNN that the animal belongs to her 14-year-old son and that the camisole was purchased from a pet clothing seller, since it was originally a dog t-shirt.
He added that the camisole had to be adapted for Merlin, which has helped make him an international phenomenon. CNN also highlighted that FIFA considers it an unofficial mascot during the celebration of the match between Mexico and South Korea.
🇲🇽🦆 WORLD CUP 2026 ⚽️🏆🔥A duck wearing a Mexican national team shirt walking among fans in the streets of Mexico during the World Cup celebrations. pic.twitter.com/9RpEb2ISdT
— World Alert (@AlertaMundoNews) June 12, 2026
Rebeca Arcos announced that Merlín was named official ambassador of the Host City of Mexico City, making him part of the attractions of one of the host cities of the FIFA World Cup.
The organization highlights that Merlin Duck represents “love, effort and a very Mexican union,” which could reflect the passion for soccer and the unity of Mexicans.
His success was such that he even participated in a conference headed by President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, within the framework of the press rounds known as the morning press.
Merlin the duck arrived as a gift and today he is part of something much bigger. 🦆⚽
Herein #FIFAWorldCupMerlín becomes an official ambassador of our Host City Mexico City, proudly carrying a very Mexican story of love, effort and union.
Because the soul… pic.twitter.com/4ivZm78gEc
— FIFA World Cup 26™️ Mexico City (@MexicoCity26) June 19, 2026
Pedro Rosete, a marketing expert at the Universidad Iberoamericana, explained that seemingly absurd phenomena, such as a duck that represents support for a team, attract attention because they arise organically and create an emotional connection with the public. As detailed to Prensa Ibero, these types of phenomena generate identification among fans.
Media such as La Fanción reported that, after Merlín’s success, a counterpart emerged that supports the Scotland team. The bird walks with a Scottish flag and is known as “Dawn Duck”.