The report says Merlin was filmed moving through celebrations in Mexico City, prompting a rapid wave of online affection. Calls for the duck to be taken into the stadium reportedly spread widely, with supporters describing him as a national treasure and one of the tournament’s most memorable early images.
That reaction feels especially fitting in a host nation where football, public celebration and local identity are tightly connected. Merlin is not a manufactured mascot; he appears to be a familiar figure from the city’s streets.
According to the account, Merlin regularly accompanies Gómez and her young son Cristian around Alameda Central, the Palace of Fine Arts and the Zócalo while the family sells water and soft drinks at fairs and events.
“We do not like to leave him alone at home; we like him to be with us. He's our baby,” Gómez reportedly said.
She also explained that Merlin was originally a gift for Cristian before becoming his inseparable companion. “Merlin had already become famous for selling bottled water,” Gómez added, suggesting that his public life began long before the World Cup cameras found him.
Merlin’s rise captures the emotional side of a tournament staged across North America. For supporters, he represents something warm, local and unmistakably Mexican - the kind of spontaneous story that becomes part of a World Cup’s lasting memory.
The next chapter will be whether Merlin appears at a match or continues leading celebrations from the streets. Either way, Mexico may already have found its most distinctive supporter.