Wayne Gretzky’s embarrassing World Cup country-name pronunciations break the internet

The groups for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are officially set, but the moment everyone is talking about has nothing to do with matchups or even a football star. Instead, it’s hockey legend Wayne Gretzky going viral for his… creative pronunciations.

Representing co-host Canada, Gretzky assisted with the Final Draw, and while the Great One is untouchable on NHL ice, soccer nation names proved to be another arena entirely. The internet quickly exploded when he introduced Macedonia as “Mack-a-donia” and Curaçao as “Corocco.”

Clips spread instantly across social media, with fans joking that Gretzky created entirely new countries on the spot.

Some fans are absolutely stunned by his presentation, others greatly embarrassed, while others are amused that one of hockey’s most iconic figures found himself in the spotlight for a reason no one expected.

For FIFA fans, the entire draw delivered clarity. For hockey fans, it delivered memes. And for the internet, well it’s Wayne Gretzky’s pronunciations are guaranteed to live on forever.