Honourable Mexican 'Ambassador' Merlin! FIFA World Cup 2026's 'Feathered-Icon'

Last Updated:June 19, 2026, 22:57 IST

The duck was spotted following his owner through the streets of the fan parks in Mexico and it did not take long before he became a viral sensation.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is in fully swing in Mexico, USA and Canada as North America has completely embraced the World Cup spirit. Football fandom has had some incredibly jaw-dropping, logic defying sensations, and the quadrennial in NA has dished out yet another unlikely superstar in Merlin, the two year old duck, who has grabbed the spotlight.

The duck was spotted following his owner through the streets of the fan parks in Mexico and it did not take long before he became a viral sensation. And Merlin has been dubbed the nation’s ambassador for the FIFA flagship.

“At no point did we think he would go so viral," Karla Ivette Gomez, a 48-year-old street vendor said.

“We were walking down the main thoroughfare in Mexico City and out of nowhere a girl takes a video, and that’s when we went viral," she explains.

Merlin is the Gomez family’s third duck and is named after the legendary wizard in folklore, making it even more endearing.

“He’s part of the family," says 14-year-old Cristian Gomez, who takes care of him.

“They’re going to name him FIFA’s ambassador in Mexico," Gomez says. “We’re very proud of the mention."

The association between surprising animals and the global showpiece is a long tried tradition and Merlin might have just entered the ‘Hall of fame’ of feathered or furry fans following the quadrennial showpiece.

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