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The 2026 World Cup didn't just deliver goals — it delivered moments the internet will never forget. Join us as we count down the most iconic, hilarious, and scandalous viral moments from FIFA World Cup 2026! From Viking Row taking over Times Square to Merlin the Duck becoming an unlikely mascot, this tournament had it all. Which moment was your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
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00:00Merlin, the pet duck who went viral for wearing a mini Mexico soccer jersey,
00:04has now met the president.
00:06Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most iconic, hilarious,
00:10and scandalous moments that have happened during the FIFA 2026 World Cup, which took the internet
00:15by storm.
00:15The Belgian head coach gets soaked, and you can see in just a moment just how much he is.
00:2310. Squeaky Cane
00:26Imagine being an England fan. You've just witnessed your team secure a win against the
00:30co-host nation in the round of 16 of a World Cup, while down to 10 players, and your captain
00:34is set
00:35to be interviewed.
00:35Well, Harry, huge congratulations. What a contest. What a win. But I just firstly wanted to ask you,
00:40what's happened over there by the England goal? Because there looks to be some concern.
00:43Yeah, children, my voice is gone.
00:46Fans were probably expecting an inspiring speech that excites the country. Instead, it was a very
00:50different experience when Harry Kane stepped up to the mic after playing Mexico. Thanks to singing
00:54Oasis' Wonderwall with the fans in attendance. England's star striker had a hoarse, squeaky
00:59voice as he spoke, causing everyone watching to laugh.
01:01In the end, it doesn't matter, so yeah, I'm happy.
01:05Luckily, though embarrassed, Kane also found the funny side. The incident even drew the attention
01:09of Oasis' Liam Gallagher, who remarked that singing is hard work.
01:13Glad to see everyone having a good laugh about it all over social media.
01:209. Gordon
01:20Speaking of Mexico taking on England, there was another viral moment that's refused to
01:25leave social media since it happened. There was a heated moment on the sidelines during the
01:30England-Mexico game last night. Shortly after the first hydration break, the live cameras picked
01:34up Mexico's manager Javier Aguirre briefly speaking to England's Jude Bellingham. Afterwards,
01:39and it doesn't take an experienced lip reader to confirm it, Aguirre called Anthony Gordon's name
01:43before yelling what would usually be an insult. Gordon! F*** you!
01:47Aaaaah!
01:48Yet Aguirre's incredible slapstick-esque and charming smile instantly showed he was joking,
01:52causing Gordon to laugh as well, as we later found out the manager was
01:55seemingly asking Bellingham for his shirt to give to his father-in-law.
01:58Then, when he saw Gordon he decided to have fun, which the England winger also appreciated.
02:03That's one of the best scenes in the World Cup there.
02:058. Everything Lexi Lawless
02:08Football's well-known for having plenty of drama, yet you don't expect a broadcast
02:11team to have as much on-screen tension as what's typically seen during a soap opera.
02:14Nibble. Constantly nibbling. You talk about eating. Well, a nibble can also lead to the
02:20ultimate thing. This guy nibbles, this guy nibbles, put it all together, it's a big old bite.
02:25However, not every punditry team has Lawless. The former USMNT player was part of the Fox team
02:30alongside legendary players Zlatin Ibrahimovic and Thierry Henry. With all three having big
02:35personalities, there was always going to be clashes. Firstly, Lawless uttered a British
02:38insult about James Corden on air, bringing gasps from everyone. There are also rumors that
02:48Ibrahimovic really disliked Lawless with the Swede appearing to take digs at him. Then there's
02:52the time the US defenders supported FIFA's decision on the Balogun suspension. More on that later,
02:57leading to a tense exchange with Henry. I don't think Flo Balogun was the problem at all today.
03:01I thought he worked the channels. I thought he made himself available. I just don't think that
03:05he was provided the service in those crucial areas that he needs.
03:09If that James Corden slander has inspired you to fill up on some pop culture goodness,
03:13then head to WatchMojo's 24-7 live stream to quench that desire.
03:17Simply scan the QR code on screen to join us live.
03:20Do you think a panel of four Zlatans would be better than these four?
03:31Yes.
03:33Number seven, the Bob the Cat story. Cats and the internet have been connected essentially since
03:37the latter became popular.
03:38Yeah, he jumped in the back of a Royal Mail van and we lost him.
03:42So with Danny Murphy's comments during the Norway and Ivory Coast game in the round of 32,
03:46it was always going to go viral. When Norway's Oscar Bob was mentioned, the former England
03:49international went into a deadpan story about his former cat, Bob.
03:52He didn't actually die. We did get him back six or seven weeks later.
03:56Over multiple other games, fans contacted the BBC to demand more information about Murphy's
04:01former cat. To sum it up, Bob got into a Royal Mail van and was missing for weeks. When the
04:05cat
04:05returned, Bob had turned feral and began fighting with their other feline. So Bob was rehomed with
04:09relatives. Murphy dripping this enthralling saga over multiple matches was a masterclass in
04:14storytelling.
04:15I was between a rock and a hard place. What can I say?
04:19I don't think we need to say any more.
04:20Number six, Scots doing the nation proud.
04:23While the Scotland football team didn't exactly light up the World Cup since they were knocked
04:26out in the group stage, the same can't be said for their fans, the Tartan Army.
04:31That's the sound of World Cup fever for fans of Scotland.
04:35Even before the tournament got underway, various viral stories about them kept emerging online,
04:40typically dressed in kilts and playing the bagpipes. The Scots reportedly turned the city
04:43of Boston dry by drinking more than some bars go through during July 4th, St. Patrick's Day,
04:48and the Super Bowl.
04:49The White Bull Tavern, there was no beer. The Scots fans just drunk the place dry,
04:54and all they had was, like, bad life.
04:56Yet more impressive was the generosity of the Tartan Army. They reportedly donated around $15,000
05:01to the charity organization The Massachusetts Child. In Rhode Island, they raised over $23,000
05:07for various causes, including the Hasbro Children's Hospital.
05:10When the Tartan Army comes, some people say it invades. We sing, we make friends,
05:17and we hope to leave a place just a little better than when we found it.
05:21Number five, Tidy Japan. Every World Cup while the Japanese national team has been progressing
05:25on the pitch, their fans are just as celebrated for their exploits.
05:28The Japan fans, they are loud. They have drums, and they have chants, and they did that the whole
05:32entire game, and that energy was felt here tonight as well.
05:36After every match, the Samurai Blue supporters go viral with their exquisite cleaning abilities.
05:41Instead of a trash mountain for staff to wade through after most matches, stadium workers
05:45can stand back and watch the Japanese do it all for them.
05:47Japan has gone viral in the last World Cup for their fans cleaning up in their section after their match.
05:55When asked why they do this, Japan's fans respond that they clean to show respect.
05:58According to cultural experts, it's ingrained into the Japanese to not inconvenience others,
06:03so it's best to leave the stadium in the same condition as when they arrive.
06:06This approach also extended to the players who made sure their locker room was left immaculate.
06:10We are kind of honored to be here, so we don't want to make the mess and then leave it.
06:17Number four, The Saga of Fuller and Balogun. In the round of 32, the U.S. faced Bosnia and Herzegovina.
06:22However, despite winning, Balogun received a red card for a dangerous tackle.
06:25The number 20 United States committee, serious foul.
06:32The final decision is red card.
06:36But with the U.S. progressing to the round of 16 against Belgium, Balogun was meant to miss it.
06:41Yet news emerged that FIFA had suspended the punishment, allowing the forward to play.
06:45The controversy only grew when President Donald Trump admitted he contacted FIFA to review Balogun's punishment.
06:49Yes, I asked for a review by FIFA.
06:53With FIFA's president, Gianni Infantino, having already been criticized for his close relationship with Trump,
06:58the decision was heavily panned by football authorities across several nations.
07:02FIFA defended itself by pointing to its rulebook.
07:04Despite this scandal, the U.S. was knocked out by Belgium 4-1, causing the winning players to mock Trump
07:09and the drama.
07:10And after a controversial build-up, players and fans did not hold back.
07:14With celebrations appearing to mock the dance moves of President Donald Trump.
07:20Later, the Belgium FA tweeted this photo of Romelu Lukaku with the caption,
07:25Overturn this.
07:26Number 3. Merlin the Duck
07:28Despite being the official mascot to the 2026 World Cup,
07:31the names Maple, Zayu and Clutch will mean little to most supporters.
07:39Yet, when Merlin was mentioned, seemingly everyone knows about Mexico's adorable duck.
07:43Cared for by the Gomez family, the little bird was already a local celebrity in Mexico City due to accompanying
07:48them at their vendor business.
07:49They told us how much for the dog, and I told you not because it's the owner of the business.
07:53It's not possible.
07:54However, once the tournament began and Merlin was dressed in a little Mexico football shirt and tiny socks,
07:59he became an internet sensation and the unofficial mascot of the World Cup.
08:02Merlin's success even led to him meeting President Claudia Scheinbaum.
08:05Today, during the President's regular press conference,
08:08he sat where top government officials and diplomats usually sit and got his picture taken.
08:14While the icon's popularity inspired fans from other countries to adopt ducks and other animals as mascots,
08:19there can only be one Merlin.
08:21Number 2. The Rise of Vozinha
08:22For the majority of footballers, by the time they reach 40, they've already hung up their boots.
08:26King Correa, and now it's back up the frame of the goal, and Vozinha tips it over this time.
08:33Yet Cape Verde's Vozinha seems to be transitioning to a new exciting chapter in his playing career.
08:38With his nation making its World Cup debut, he became a sensation with his performances,
08:42helping the Blue Sharks go unbeaten in the group stage.
08:45And what it means here in Houston is that the fairy tale continues.
08:51Cabo Verde came to experience the World Cup.
08:55They have changed the World Cup.
08:57While Cape Verde was eventually eliminated by Argentina,
09:00the team has written its name in the tournament's lore.
09:02Before the World Cup, Vozinha had around 56,000 Instagram followers.
09:06At the time of writing, it's nearly 29 million.
09:08His rise even led to a newly discovered sea slug species,
09:11Aldiza vozinha, being named after the famous goalkeeper.
09:15Obviously, Vozinha caught the attention of the world after that first game against Spain.
09:20You're going to know, that's nice, all of his mum's come.
09:22You know, that was kind of the rhetoric.
09:23He's got millions of Instagram followers now.
09:26But he's followed that up continually with great performances.
09:30Number one, Viking Roe.
09:32It's not Erling Haaland's goal-scoring exploits, Norway's performances,
09:35or that the country is competing its first World Cup since 1998
09:38that made the Scandinavian country go viral.
09:40In football, you never know.
09:41You never know what's going to happen in your life.
09:44You never know what's going to happen the day after.
09:46Tomorrow, that's where you have to live in the moment.
09:48Don't think of what's next.
09:50Just enjoy being present in the moment.
09:53Instead, it's the fans' chant, Viking Roe, that's dominated the internet.
09:56Whether people are doing it in the thousands within the stadiums
09:59as they're led by the players, shutting down New York City's Times Square,
10:02or covering the streets of Oslo,
10:04the infectious movement has wormed its way into football and culture.
10:07We're going into battle.
10:08Let's get to work and let's row.
10:10So that's kind of what it symbolizes, plus a lot more.
10:13Viking Roe is even spread into other non-typical football places.
10:16After all, politicians in Norway's parliament got involved
10:19and even some members within the country's royal family took part.
10:22Now, if you'll excuse us, we have an urgent desire to find a rowing machine.
10:37What's been your favorite viral moment of the 2026 World Cup?
10:40Let us know below.
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