E-Paper
Sign In
How a duck named Merlin became Mexico’s unexpected World Cup star
The domesticated duck, dressed in a Mexico shirt and custom socks, became an online sensation after appearing during street celebrations in Mexico City
- PUBLISHED: Thu 18 Jun 2026, 10:45 AM
A domesticated duck named Merlin has become an unlikely star of Mexico’s World Cup campaign after winning over football fans during street celebrations in Mexico City.
Dressed in a miniature Mexico shirt and custom duck socks, Merlin was spotted waddling through crowds on Reforma Avenue after Mexico’s 2-0 win over South Africa in last week’s World Cup opening game.
Recommended For You
As fans celebrated the co-hosts’ victory, onlookers recorded the feathered supporter on their phones. The videos quickly went viral online, with many fans calling for Merlin to be named Mexico’s unofficial World Cup mascot.
“We are very respectful,” said Merlin’s owner, street merchant Karla Gomez. “We respect the axolotl as much as the jaguar. We don’t like controversy, honestly.”
Gomez, who usually sells beverages on the streets of Mexico City with her son Christian and Merlin, said the family never expected the duck to attract so much attention.
“It was a normal day for us,” she said. “We thought we were passing by unnoticed, because obviously we never thought Merlin would have that boom.”
Since then, Merlin has become a local celebrity, with fans stopping Gomez and her family to take selfies with the duck. He has also been seen cooling off in public fountains as his fame continues to grow.
“I’m Merlin’s mum. I already consider myself as such,” Gomez said. “For us it has been a surprise, truly. The fact that Merlin is the unofficial mascot of the World Cup ... we feel very pleased about such a situation and above all that people love my duck.”
Merlin has also drawn comparisons to Paul the Octopus, the famous World Cup predictor from 2010. The duck recently attempted his own prediction, choosing Mexico over South Korea when presented with both flags.
Mexico will face South Korea on Thursday in Group A before taking on the Czech Republic on June 24.