Wayne Gretzky surprises fans with name mispronunciations at World Cup draw
Wayne Gretzky faced challenges while pronouncing names of countries at the World Cup draw held in Washington, D.C. The event took place on a Friday and featured several sports legends.
World Cup Draw Highlights
The iconic ice hockey player joined a lineup that included Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, and Aaron Judge. Together, they participated in drawing the group stages for the upcoming summer tournament.
Struggles with Pronunciations
Gretzky, now 64, struggled particularly with names like North Macedonia, Curacao, Turkey, and Jordan. Fans quickly picked up on his mispronunciations, with social media buzzing about the event.
- North Macedonia was humorously pronounced as “North Mackadonia.”
- Curacao became “Curacko.”
- Turkey was referred to as “Turkia.”
- Jordan was twisted into “Jore-Dan.”
Fan Reactions
Online reactions varied from amusement to light-hearted criticism. One fan remarked, “Wayne Gretzky announcing the countries for the World Cup Groups is incredible.” Others playfully labeled Gretzky as the “World Cup Group of Death” for his mispronunciations.
Comments included:
- “The names he has destroyed.”
- “His pronunciations of Macedonia and Curacao will last for a LONG TIME on the internet.”
Event Details
The draw was hosted by English Premier League legend Rio Ferdinand. Alongside him were Gretzky, Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, and Aaron Judge, making it a diverse and star-studded occasion. Prior to the draw, Kevin Hart and Heidi Klum introduced the ceremony.
FIFA’s Peace Prize Presentation
In addition to the draw, FIFA President Gianni Infantino presented former President Donald Trump with the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize. The ceremony, however, received mixed feedback for its length and overall execution, with some fans describing it as “cringe.”
