Merlin, the duck with an almost magical aura, becomes Mexico’s World Cup sensation | OneFootball

Merlin, a Pekin duck, has become Mexico’s unofficial World Cup mascot after a viral video of him in the national shirt, with crowds seeking photos. According to L'Équipe, his owners are now inundated.

Until recently Karla Ivette Gómez was selling water and soft drinks from a small kiosk. She says a passer-by posted the clip after the 2-0 win over South Africa on 11 June, and it exploded.

Memes surged and the story spread. FIFA then named Merlin ambassador of the capital and put him on the Zócalo fan-zone stage at half-time of Mexico’s 1-0 victory over South Korea last week.

On Monday, President Claudia Sheinbaum hosted Merlin at her morning press conference, praising the family. Gómez, a single mother of two, said that was when the scale of it truly hit.

Her 14-year-old son Christian rarely leaves his side. A customer gifted Merlin after their previous duck, Waffle, died, and Christian’s mood lifted.

Gómez calls herself a fighter and treats Merlin like a third child. She says he loves walks, films, Sunday carnitas tacos and a kickabout, and has an almost magical aura.

Unofficial plush toys, mugs, keyrings and cakes are already appearing. The family have filed Merlin’s image and name with the intellectual property institute. Christian dreams of going pro, with Pato on the back.

Source: L'Équipe