Mexico's unofficial World Cup mascot, Merlin the duck, had a another big day on Monday in the form of a meeting with the nation's president, Claudia Sheinbaum.
Merlin waddled into a news briefing by Sheinbaum, accompanied by her owner, Karla Ivette Gómez and her two sons and donning the green Mexican team shirt and a tournament scarf.
They posed together for photos in recognition that Merlin has become a star in Mexico and beyond over the course of the tournament.
Gómez is a street vendor in the historical old town of the capital. She said that Merlin is "the boss of our little business" and is "making sure we’re working and doing things the right way.”
She said that Merlin gets special duck food but also meat tacos on Sundays.
Merlin gained fame early in the tournament when he waddled through the capital's streets in a team shirt and matching socks. His owners now plan to register him as a protected trademark.
