Merl\u00edn, the little duck who captured the hearts of Mexican soccer fans during the 2026 World Cup, has now been immortalized on a commemorative lottery ticket. This symbol of national pride and everyday joy comes from a humble family of street vendors working in Mexico City\u2019s Alameda Central, where Merl\u00edn lives and became a viral sensation for proudly sporting the colors of the Mexican National Team.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, July 9, 2026, the National Lottery unveiled the ticket for the Sorteo Superior No. 2891, featuring Merl\u00edn\u2019s image. Olivia Salom\u00f3n, director general of Loter\u00eda Nacional, led the ceremony alongside Karla Ivette G\u00f3mez L\u00f3pez and her family\u2014Merl\u00edn\u2019s caretakers\u2014who were present to celebrate this unique tribute.<\/p>\n
Salom\u00f3n highlighted how Merl\u00edn\u2019s story transcended the sport itself, becoming a symbol of Mexican resilience, family values, and the simple joys that unite the nation. \u201cWhile the world celebrated football, Mexico gifted a story born from the affection of its people,\u201d she said, emphasizing that Merl\u00edn represents not just a duck, but a hardworking family and the warmth of a community that resonated worldwide.<\/p>\n
The director also reflected on Loter\u00eda Nacional\u2019s 256-year history of capturing Mexico\u2019s collective memory and identity, noting that Merl\u00edn\u2019s ticket is a proud addition to that legacy. Unlike official mascots or commercial brands, Merl\u00edn\u2019s rise was fueled purely by popular affection, making him a genuine emblem of authenticity and hope.<\/p>\n
Karla Ivette G\u00f3mez L\u00f3pez, Merl\u00edn\u2019s primary caretaker and mother of two, shared her gratitude during the event. She spoke openly about her family\u2019s humble origins as street vendors and described Merl\u00edn as \u201cone more of her children.\u201d Karla stressed that the recognition goes beyond their story\u2014it honors all hardworking Mexican families, especially single mothers who persevere with dignity and strength.<\/p>\n
The event also featured notable guests such as Alicia Vargas, known as the \u201cMexican Pel\u00e9,\u201d members of the 1971 Mexican Women\u2019s National Team, and officials from the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI), the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), and the National Commission for Physical Culture and Sport (CONADE).<\/p>\n
For the Sorteo Superior No. 2891, two million 400 thousand tickets featuring Merl\u00edn\u2019s image are now available across Mexico\u2014in markets, workplaces, communities, and homes\u2014spreading smiles and pride. The grand prize is 17 million pesos in two series, with a total prize pool of 51 million pesos. The draw will take place on Friday, July 24, 2026, at 8:00 p.m., broadcast live on the official YouTube channel Sorteos Tradicionales de la Loter\u00eda Nacional. Tickets can be purchased through trusted sellers, the MiLoter\u00eda app, and miloteria.mx.<\/p>\n
Merl\u00edn\u2019s story reminds us that sometimes the simplest symbols\u2014rooted in family, community, and everyday life\u2014can unite a nation and inspire hope. In a time when Mexico is embracing innovative projects like the Puebla cable car to improve urban mobility, celebrating grassroots icons like Merl\u00edn reflects the country\u2019s spirit of progress grounded in its people.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Merl\u00edn, the little duck who captured the hearts of Mexican soccer fans during the 2026 World Cup, has now been immortalized on a commemorative lottery ticket. This symbol of national pride and everyday joy comes from a humble family of street vendors working in Mexico City\u2019s Alameda Central, where Merl\u00edn lives and became a viral […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3253,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3254","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nacional"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/topnews.mx\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3254","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/topnews.mx\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/topnews.mx\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topnews.mx\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topnews.mx\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3254"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/topnews.mx\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3254\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3255,"href":"https:\/\/topnews.mx\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3254\/revisions\/3255"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topnews.mx\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3253"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/topnews.mx\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3254"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topnews.mx\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3254"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topnews.mx\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3254"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}