The president will see you now: Mexico's World Cup duck meets Sheinbaum

Merlin, the pet duck who has become an unofficial mascot of the World Cup, made a special appearance at Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum's press conference on Monday.

The duck, sporting a miniature Mexico jersey, waddled onto the stage and took a seat among officials, seemingly unfazed by the attention. Merlin gained widespread fame during street celebrations following Mexico's 2-0 victory over South Africa in the World Cup's opening match on June 11.

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We feel very honored to be here with the president, it is an honour for us to stand before you and for the whole world to see the beautiful side of Mexico.

Merlin's owner, Karla Gomez, expressed her honor at the meeting, stating, "We feel very honored to be here with the president, it is an honour for us to stand before you and for the whole world to see the beautiful side of Mexico." Gomez hopes Merlin's newfound celebrity status will provide financial assistance to her family, especially her eldest son who suffers from a mental illness. She is also exploring options to register Merlin as a trademark.

President Sheinbaum acknowledged Merlin's symbolic importance, calling him "a symbol of the World Cup, a symbol of what Mexican families stand for, of who we are as Mexican families." She assured that Merlin's family would receive assistance, though details were not provided. Gomez described Merlin as the "boss" of her beverage vending business and shared that the two-year-old duck, a gift from a customer, enjoys a carnitas taco on Sundays and wears shoes to protect his feet during his frequent walks.

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Today 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 what Mexican families stand for, of who we are as Mexican families, and that is above all else; it is what the world is seeing from Mexico today.