Aaron Judge had a busy Friday. He popped up at a FIFA event, where he was chosen as a draw assistant for the FIFA World Cup. What looked more attractive was that he shared the stage with some serious star power, Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, and Wayne Gretzky, as they pulled team orbs from the pots to set up the tournament groups.

So, the whole thing was designed to bring extra attention to the event in the capital. And with that lineup, it definitely worked. But amid all the glitz and buzz, fans quickly zeroed in on one big, awkward moment for the Yankees slugger.

“Aaron Judge alongside Shaquille O’Neal, Wayne Gretzky, and Tom Brady drawing the group stage matchups for the 2026 World Cup,” Talkin’ Yanks’ post about the Friday event sparked quite a discussion.

Well, if you looked at the four stars on stage, it was pretty easy to spot the odd one out in terms of championships. For reference, Wayne Gretzky has four Stanley Cups, Tom Brady has seven Super Bowl rings, and Shaquille O’Neal has four NBA titles. But Aaron Judge? He’s still waiting for his first World Series win. Fans noticed that right away and were quick to poke fun at the awkward comparison.

And it somehow got even more uncomfortable for Judge. Reportedly, as each draw assistant was introduced, a photo montage played behind them. And when Judge walked out, one of the images that popped up was his brutal error against the Dodgers in the 2024 World Series. That infamous dropped ball. Now, whether it was intentional or just an unfortunate choice, it definitely didn’t help.

So now, fans are buzzing about how Judge stood out for all the wrong reasons. That too, when his resume is stacked with achievements: three MVPs, seven All-Star appearances, five Silver Sluggers, but still no ring!

Fans are calling out Aaron Judge for the unwanted record

Should Aaron Judge be evaluated only based on World Series rings? Well, fans think so. “One guy doesn’t belong, I’ll give you the answer, the one with no rings,” one fan said. “Every one of them Great iconic player… The difference only one of them doesn’t have multiple Championships and most likely never will because of the Owner & his incompetent GM,” another added.

Sure, Aaron Judge may not have a World Series ring yet, but saying he doesn’t belong in that group feels like a stretch. Especially if you look at what he did in 2025. He was known for his rough postseason showings in the past. But he completely flipped the script this year, hitting .500 over seven games with 13 hits. And his regular season? It was vintage Judge, maybe even one of his best. He led the league in batting average at .331, smashed 53 HRs, and drove in 114 runs across 152 games. Those are flat-out legendary numbers.

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“4 of the greatest players of all time in their generation. Each of these men is above the stratosphere for their respective sport,” one fan acknowledged Judge’s greatness.

So while the lack of a championship is fair to point out, it’s also pretty clear the Yankees’ team issues have done more to hold them back than Judge’s individual performance. He’s doing his part, and then some. “Aaron Judge dont belong there, but he’s a tremendous player. Just not in the same tier as them until he gets a ring.” Another user added what made Aaron Judge odd among them, despite being a tremendous player.

“Luckily, this time he didn’t drop a ball,” another fan shared a banger. Now, this is some absolute embarrassment for Aaron Judge, something that will haunt him till he gets one. While there’s no doubt about his legendary figures and contributions to the Yankees, that ball drop in the 2024 World Series was absolutely his individual disaster.

That incident actually amplified calls about Aaron Judge’s poor postseason stats. Now, while this year showed that he could perform in the playoffs, his complete legendary status is just one ring away.