The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw in Washington, D.C. had everything a global event could ask for: star power, political theater, and sports royalty from across North America. But Tom Brady still found a way to grab the internet’s attention with nothing more than an Instagram post aimed squarely at Shaquille O’Neal.
The Kennedy Center hosted a packed list of celebrities as football, basketball, hockey, and baseball icons helped determine the fates of the 48 teams set to compete in the expanded tournament. Even with President Donald Trump receiving FIFA’s first Peace Prize and hosts like Rio Ferdinand, Heidi Klum, and Kevin Hart setting the tone, the energy shifted when the athletes assigned to each pot took the stage.
President Donald Trump dances to YMCA at the end of the World Cup draw
Shaq, handling Pot 2, immediately became the room’s comedic focal point. His height difference with Kevin Hart played out like a scripted skit, ending with Hart pretending to push him away in a puff of smoke. When the laughter settled, O’Neal delivered his own punchline, jokingly calling himself “David Blackham,” a playful twist on David Beckham’s name that sent Rio Ferdinand into a fit of laughter.
Let’s get Shaq a backup goalie tryout!
Brady adds fuel to the comedy with a viral goalie proposal
While the crowd enjoyed the banter inside the venue, Brady uploaded a post that instantly blew up online(it’s sadly been removed by this time). His message read: “Let’s get Shaq a backup goalie tryout!” Fans loved it, picturing the NBA legend as an enormous human wall inside a football goal.
The joke fit perfectly with O’Neal’s larger-than-life persona. As seen on TNT’s Inside the NBA and repeatedly highlighted by ESPN, Shaq has built an entire post-basketball career around mixing sports with humor. A mock World Cup goalie tryout felt absolutely on brand.
Brady, who has grown more connected to global football since joining Birmingham City FC’s ownership group in 2023, seemed to enjoy the moment just as much. Outlets like The Athletic have noted how the seven-time Super Bowl champion has leaned into international football culture, and his World Cup cameo only reinforced that shift.
The draw itself still holds plenty of suspense. Six teams won’t be confirmed until March 2026, with UEFA playoffs set to decide four of those final spots. Yet for many fans scrolling through social media after the event, the biggest takeaway wasn’t the group placements.
It was the image of Shaq, imagined between the posts, becoming an overnight World Cup meme thanks to Tom Brady’s perfectly timed joke.
