A duck in a Mexico jersey goes viral as the World Cup opener is won

Quiñones and Jiménez score, a duck steals the show

Mexico opened their World Cup with a win over South Africa (1). Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez got the goals (1). The result mattered. But the internet had other priorities.

A duck. Dressed in a Mexico jersey. It went viral during the match and has not stopped since (1). The Guardian called it "Duck, duck, goal" and the clips are everywhere (1).

That is the energy around this team right now. Co-hosting a World Cup brings chaos, travel snags, visa delays, the kind of logistical headaches Uruguay and Iran already hit on Mexican soil. Then a duck in a jersey shows up and suddenly none of that matters.

Three points banked. The group stage rolls on.

Fan reactions

The mood online is festive. Fans are sharing the duck clips as much as the highlights, treating it as a good-luck charm for the campaign ahead (1). The result against South Africa has settled early nerves, and the lighter tone around the squad is a shift from the serious previews other teams are getting, one Iran preview called their buildup "chaos" and "the weight of politics," which only sharpens the contrast with Mexico's confident start.