A 1-0 defeat by Morocco has left Scotland third in Group C and needing a victory against Brazil on 24 June to reach the knockout stages for the first time. The result punctured the euphoria that followed an opening win over Haiti, when Tartan Army marches with bagpipes and kilts captivated the United States, Boston bars required emergency beer shipments, and one Scotland fan went viral for brushing off American hangover advice by insisting he would simply head back to a pub. Now, with three points from two matches, Steve Clarke’s side sit behind Brazil and Morocco on four points, with Haiti yet to score. The task is stark: beat the five-time champions or face elimination.\n\nAs the tournament’s competitive pressure mounts, an unexpected subplot has captured global attention: the rise of two ducks as unofficial mascots for rival fanbases. In Mexico City, a two-year-old duck named Merlín, who accompanies his owner Carla Gómez as she sells bottled water from a cart, became a viral sensation after being dressed in a miniature national team jersey and tiny socks for the opening match. The bird was soon named an official ambassador for the capital’s host city efforts, invited to the presidential morning press conference, and gifted match tickets by a prominent businessman. In the eyes of Mexican fans, Merlín’s blend of street-level authenticity and performative patriotism has made him a more relatable figure than FIFA’s corporate mascot trio of Clutch, Maple and Zayu.\n\nScotland’s supporters responded in kind. During marches to the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, the Tartan Army adopted Donny the Duck, an animal already known at sporting events in Providence, Rhode Island, since 2024. Footage shows Donny waddling among kilted men, wearing a Saltire-patterned vest, a direct echo of the Mexican phenomenon. Both ducks, analysts note, fill a void left by official characters that have failed to resonate, offering instead a folk-hero charm that travels well on social media.\n\nThe sudden fame, however, has prompted cautionary voices. Wildlife rehabilitation specialists in Pachuca warned that viral animal popularity often triggers impulse purchases and subsequent abandonment, emphasising that ducks are not toys or disposable accessories. The concern was underscored by a video from Quiroga, Michoacán, in which a local mayor was seen holding a duck by its wings while promoting it as a World Cup mascot—an act widely condemned as harmful. Meanwhile, Mexico’s intellectual property authority used Merlín’s moment to remind citizens how to register trademarks, a sign of the commercial scramble that can follow such phenomena.\n\nWith Mexico already buoyant after two victories, the tournament’s more immediate drama rests with Scotland. The Tartan Army, so colourfully supported by bagpipes and a duck in a vest, now face a do-or-die encounter with five-time champions Brazil. Any result short of a win will almost certainly mean elimination, lending a sobering edge to the carnival.