Mexico’s World Cup fever has gone to the dogs—literally. From Chihuahuas to Chow Chows, hamsters to horses, and one famous duck named Merlin who’s already met the president, Mexicans are outfitting their furry and feathered family members in the colors of El Tri. What started as a fun way to extend national pride has turned into a full-blown market phenomenon, complete with knockoff brands like “Adidog” and street vendors running out of stock faster than they can reorder.
The scale of this pet jersey boom tells you everything about how seriously Mexicans take their national team. On June 19, 2026, Javier Padilla was spotted in Mexico City with his dog Trufa decked out in official gear. But Padilla’s hardly alone. Diana Montes, who runs a stall in the capital packed with pet accessories—sombreros, motorbike helmets, you name it—is fielding custom orders at a pace she hadn’t anticipated. “The most popular trend right now is the entire family dressed in the same outfit,” she said. That includes four-legged and winged family members.
The economics of this craze reveal a deeper frustration beneath the celebration. Official Adidas replica jerseys for humans go for about $100, while authentic player-issue versions cost $150. That’s a steep ask in a country where the general daily minimum wage sits just over 315 pesos—roughly $18. The replica jersey alone costs the equivalent of nearly a week’s minimum wage. But the counterfeit pet versions? They’re flying off the shelves for about $5. On match day, nobody’s checking labels anyway, and Efrain Miranda, who runs a streetside stall in downtown Mexico City, was moving up to 30 pet jerseys daily before he ran out of stock entirely.
Adidas has caught on to the trend and launched its own pet collection, though it’s currently limited to cats and dogs—no official options yet for Merlin the duck or the horses proudly wearing El Tri colors. The company says it’s the best-selling Mexico jersey in its global range, which speaks volumes about the reach and passion of the fanbase. Still, the flood of counterfeits remains a headache for both Adidas and FIFA, even as vendors insist they’ll get new stock eventually. The truth is, nobody’s buying knockoff dog jerseys because they want authenticity—they’re buying them because the real thing costs more than a week of work, and the World Cup waits for no one.
