While the World Cup has brought the biggest names in soccer back into the international spotlight, one particular feathered fan is drawing just as many headlines.
Merlin, a 2-year-old duck, has taken the internet by storm, captivating fans with his tiny form-fitting Team Mexico jersey and confident waddle around his home of Mexico City.
The duck โ who skyrocketed to internet fame in early June after he was seen reveling in the festivities following Mexicoโs first victory in the tournament โ has since become a proud symbol of the team, overshadowing FIFAโs official Mexico mascot, Zayu the Jaguar.
Merlinโs newfound celebrity status has taken him to new heights, landing him a visit with Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum. As Team Mexicoโs third match of the tournament is slated for June 24, Merlin fever is likely to spread.
โI could have never imagined the magnitude of where my baby would get to,โ owner Karla Gomez told NBC News. โTo me, he is my son.โ
How Did Merlin Become Famous?
Merlin, who has long been a fixture on the streets of Mexico City, first got a taste of fame after Team Mexicoโs 2-0 victory against South Africa, the opening match of the World Cup, on June 11. Wearing not only the Mexico jersey, but also a pair of tiny socks, Merlin was captured on video, waddling around the bustling Reforma Avenue as fans celebrated the win.
Social media users, charmed by his Team Mexico spirit, began sharing memes across the internet, often pairing them with the phrase โViva El Pato,โ which translates to โLong Live The Duck!โ
Some businesses have even capitalized off of the Merlin craze, with one store all the way in Canada modeling their jerseys on a row of display ducks.
Who Are Merlinโs Owners?
Gomez, Merlinโs owner, is a street beverage vendor in Mexico City. She previously told Reuters that the day Merlin went viral was like any other day for the family.
โWe thought we were โpassing by unnoticed, because obviously we never thought Merlin would โhave that boom,โ she told the outlet.
The duck was initially given to Gomez as a gift by a customer two years ago, she said. The family decided to name the feathered friend Merlin after the mythical wizard because โsince Merlin came into our lives, there have been many awesome changes in our world,โ she told NBC News.
Merlin isnโt just a pet. Heโs also an integral part of the family business, โinspectingโ their work and even assuming the unofficial title of โboss,โ according to the Agence France-Presse.
Merlin, whoโs named after the mythical wizard, lives off a diet of fruit, veggies, crickets and fish, his owner told the AFP. Every so often, Gomez told the outlet, Merlin gets a celebratory taco too.
โHeโs part of the family,โ Gomezโs 14-year-old son Cristian Gomez told the AFP.
What Has Merlin Been up to Since He First Went Viral?
It seems everyone wants a piece of Merlin these days. Shortly after he climbed to superstardom, Merlin was named an official ambassador for his hometown of Mexico City, a host city for the Cup. Heโs appeared on television programs and even joined Sheinbaum at her morning press conference on June 22.
โToday we brought the family that has Merlin the duck as their pet, because he has been a symbol of the World Cup, a symbol of โwhat Mexican families โstand for, of โ who we are as Mexican families, and that is above all else; it is what the world is seeing from โMexico today,โ Sheinbaum said during the conference, according to Reuters.
Now, weโre just hoping that Merlin gets induckted into the International Football Hall of Fame. He deserves it.