The 2026 World Cup has made stars out of two adorable animals.
First we have Merlin the duck, who, according to The Associated Press, was already known to locals of Mexico City for accompanying human Carla Gómez in selling water and soda from a cart around the city.
Merlin’s fame jumped significantly as he was seen during Mexico’s first World Cup game waddling around while wearing a team Mexico jersey.
“He’s our baby,” Gómez says. “He’s the baby, the sole heir to all my possessions and now an idol.”
While clearly Gómez is a big fan of Merlin, even she’s been surprised by the amount of love the waterfowl has received since the World Cup began.
“We never imagined he’d become such a sensation,” Gómez says. “We weren’t expecting it.”
Mexico also has a furrier World Cup mascot in Osito, an 8-year-old rescue poodle mix.
The AP reports that Osito likewise gained fame during Mexico’s World Cup opener after he was seen riding in a bike alongside his human, Jorge Rangel, all while wearing a team Mexico jersey along with a matching hat and sunglasses.
“It exceeded all my expectations,” Rangel says of the overwhelming response to Osito.
We’re now hoping that Merlin and Osito will get to take the pitch at some point. As Air Bud: World Pup taught us, there’s nothing in the rule book that says animals can’t play soccer.