In Mexico, World Cup jerseys fit all shapes, sizes - and species

By Stefanie Eschenbacher

MEXICO CITY, June 23 (Reuters) - In Mexico, World Cup fever has spread to pets. From Chihuahuas to Chow Chows, hamsters to horses, and of course Merlin the duck, ‌Mexicans are dressing their furry — or feathered — friends in the colours of the national team.

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In markets ‌across the capital, vendors sell pet soccer jerseys from knock-off brands like "Adidog" for owners looking to extend the support base of national ​soccer team "El Tri" to fans with four legs.

Aida Cruz, shopping in Mexico City's La Merced market, said she was inspired to get a Mexico shirt for her miniature Schnauzer, Cookie, after seeing images of Merlin, the World Cup duck who has even been received by the president.

"She's part of the family," Cruz said of Cookie, showing a photo ‌on her phone of the dog ⁠that had been left at home due to the market crowds.

Diana Montes, whose stall offered a vast array of pet accessories, including sombreros and motorbike helmets, said she ⁠was taking custom orders to make sure every family member got their jersey. "The most popular trend right now is the entire family dressed in the same outfit," she said.

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Official Adidas-made jerseys for humans, with licensed crests and authenticated fabrics, ​sell ​for $100 for the replica version and $150 for the authentic player-issue ​version. But the fake versions sell for ‌about $5.

The official version feels expensive for many Mexicans, adding to a sense of malaise about the cost of this World Cup.

The country's general daily minimum wage is just over 315 pesos ($18) — meaning the replica alone costs the equivalent of nearly a week of minimum wage. And on match day, nobody is checking labels.

In an emailed response to Reuters, Adidas said the Mexico jersey was the best-selling one in its range globally.

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The German sportswear ‌maker has caught on to the pet craze and now ​offers a pet collection of its own. A review of ​its website suggested the range is limited to ​cats and dogs; no outfits for ducks or horses appeared to be available.

"We work ‌closely with the relevant authorities in actions to ​combat the counterfeit trade and to ​protect consumers from counterfeiters," it said. "Adidas rigorously protects and enforces its intellectual property rights."

FIFA did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Efrain Miranda, who runs a streetside stall in the capital's ​downtown, said he used to sell ‌up to 30 pet jerseys a day — until he ran out of stock. He has no ​idea when he'll get new supply. "There was huge demand," he said.

($1 = 17.3630 Mexican pesos)

(Reporting by ​Stefanie Eschenbacher, editing by Stephen Eisenhammer and Rosalba O'Brien)