A duck named Merlin, dressed in a Mexico national soccer team jersey, follows his caretaker Christian Gomez as they cross the street in Mexico City, Monday, June 15, 2026. Over South Africa on Thursday, Merlin, a 2-year-old duck dressed in the national team’s colors, became an unlikely internet sensation and the tournament’s first unofficial mascot.
A duck named Merlin, dressed in a Mexico national soccer team jersey, follows his caretaker Christian Gomez as they cross the street in Mexico City, Monday, June 15, 2026.
Over South Africa on Thursday, Merlin, a 2-year-old duck dressed in the national team’s colors, became an unlikely internet sensation and the tournament’s first unofficial mascot. Overnight, and as if by the magic of the famous wizard who inspired his name, Merlin had captivated the internet. A familiar sight at fairs and events in the historic city center, the duck regularly accompanies his owner, Carla Gómez, who sells water and soft drinks from a little cart each weekend.
Along the way, the animal attracts plenty of delighted squeals, affectionate greetings and eager requests from passersby for a photo together. The duck shares a particularly close bond with Cristian, for whom he was originally a gift, becoming what Gómez describes as the boy’s inseparable companion. The World Cup, which is staging the World Cup for the third time after hosting the tournament in 1970 and 1986 — this time a co-host alongside Canada and the United States
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