Rodri, Haaland, Ed Sheeran, and El Mago Pop among this year's new pooping 'caganers'

Rodri, Erling Haaland, Ed Sheeran and Lebron James have something new in common, they are now caganers, the squatting, defecating figurines that Catalans place in their Christmas nativity scenes.

Caganer.com, a family business based in Girona, has unveiled 37 new figures for this Christmas. They include European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, Formula 1 driver Lando Norris and cartoon character Shin-chan. International politics is the fastest-growing category this season.

The caganer is a humorous Catalan Christmas tradition where well-known figures are presented in the iconic squatting pose. The company now features a catalog that includes around 750 of them.

The classic figurine features a peasant wearing a barretina (traditional Catalan cap) with his trousers around his ankles while he relieves himself of yesterday's dinner. Now, the figure has expanded to celebrities as well.

Politicians

After last year's releases focused primarily on comics and cartoons, world leaders take center stage in 2026. The collection adds seven of them, plus an updated version of one of the company's most iconic caganers, US President Donald Trump.

The new additions are von der Leyen, Mexican President Sheinbaum, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, Portuguese President António José Seguro, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele and Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella.

Marc Alós, co-owner and sculptor at Caganer.com, said the choices are not random, but driven by what tourists ask for. 

"When they see an entire shelf full of politicians but don't find their own, they often ask us, 'Why don't you make one of this president?'" he said. So the company tries to take into account the nationalities of the tourists who visit its shops.

"They find it quite amusing to see a figure, someone often held in very high regard in their own country, presented in such a different way," Alós said. "I believe it's a very popular souvenir, the idea of gifting someone a figure of their own president."

Sport stars

Football remains a major source of inspiration. This Christmas, the collection adds Rodri in a Barça jersey and Marc Cucurella in a Real Madrid kit, two figures the company decided to make after Spain won the World Cup. 

Haaland debuts in two versions, one in a Manchester City jersey and one in the Norway national team kit. The company also updated its figurines of current Barça fave Lamine Yamal and club legend Ronaldinho. 

Beyond football, the catalog now includes Norris and mixed martial arts fighter Ilia Topuria, while LeBron James appears in a new version wearing a Philadelphia 76ers jersey.

Catalan icons

Catalan culture also has a prominent place among this year's releases. One of the new additions is Antonio Díaz, known professionally as El Mago Pop, who has become one of the most recognized Catalan figures. 

"We always include some cultural element from home," Alós said. "Whenever we see someone who is highly prominent and likely to be well received by our entire community, we want to feature that icon."

Alongside El Mago Pop, the Tarlà de Girona, one of the most iconic characters in the city's folk tradition, makes his debut.

Music & film

In music, the newcomers are Bruno Mars and Ed Sheeran, while Rosalía and Shakira appear in updated versions of their figures. 

From film, the company added Bruce Lee, as well as fictional characters Shin-chan and Rapunzel. Rapunzel was included after the filming in Girona of the new film starring the Disney princess.

 

Reinvented caganers

One of this year's new features is a change of style. Caganer.com is launching a line with a more realistic design, rounded shapes and an updated aesthetic, an effort to reach new audiences without abandoning tradition.

The collection debuts with ten models, ranging from the classic peasant to figures tied to contemporary customs. Most are available in male and female versions.

With this line, the company aims to step out of its "comfort zone" and experiment with different aesthetics, Alós said. "Our children think differently than we do," he said. So they chose everyday scenes that resonate with younger generations. 

"We've created gamers, Instagrammers, DJs, people on scooters, and people simply walking down the street. We've introduced many new things that are truly revolutionary for our collections," he said.