There is no doubt that the Merlin duck became a viral phenomenon during the 2026 World Cup, to the point of being considered the unofficial mascot of Mexico in this tournament.
Since it was unveiled, the small animal has won the affection of the public. Dressed in a shirt from the Mexico national team and a pair of shoesthe duck brings joy to those who have the opportunity to see it on the streets of the country.
Therefore, it is even more surprising that this Friday the Government of Mexico has granted the owner of the animal, the Mexican Karla Gómez, the registration of the “Pato Merlín” brand, as well as that of its respective three-dimensional design.
The delivery of the record was carried out by the Ministry of Economy and the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI).
The wave of popularity of “Pato Merlín” generated a legal dispute after it was revealed that third parties based in Yucatán and Jalisco tried to anticipate the legitimate owners to register the name and image of the bird with the IMPI, in order to commercially exploit the brand in clothing and advertising campaigns during the 2026 World Cup.
Faced with this attempt at misappropriation, President Claudia Sheinbaum described the action of third parties as an “abuse” and directly instructed the corresponding authorities to expedite the legal procedures to provide legal certainty and the exclusive protection of image rights. to the family of Karla Ivette Gómez, as the legitimate owner of the animal.
The significance of the viral phenomenon even reached the political sphere when “Pato Merlín” was brought as a special guest to the traditional morning press conference at the National Palace, where President Claudia Sheinbaum publicly interacted with the bird.
When delivering the official certificate to the owner family, the Secretary of Economy, Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, emphasized that this procedure is subjected to a rigorous technical and legal analysis with the purpose of guaranteeing legal certainty and transparency in industrial property rights, on instructions from President Claudia Sheinbaum.
The general director of the IMPI, Vidal Llerenas, highlighted the importance of protecting distinctive signs in accordance with the law and pointed out that it constitutes a public and notorious fact that “Merlin Duck” legally belongs to the applicant’s family.
Fans on social networks have begun to speculate about the presence of the famous mascot in the streets of the capital with a view to the next match of the Mexican team. Many hope to see “Merlin Duck” wearing their characteristic yellow tennis shoes in the middle of the popular celebrations, if the national team manages to secure victory.