Michail Antonio leaves football fans baffled after referencing meme during FA Cup draw

Former West Ham striker Michail Antonio left fans bemused after referencing a viral internet meme during the FA Cup first round draw.

The 35-year-old, who was appearing live on TNT Sports alongside former Crystal Palace captain Joel Ward, was tasked with pulling out the away teams for Monday's draw.

Just before the halfway point, Ward drew number 67 - National League South side Slough Town -  before Antonio looked down at his own ball and, with a grin, began saying 'six-seven' while waving his arms up and down in rhythm.

Viewers quickly realised he was mimicking the '6-7' meme currently sweeping social media, which originates from the song Doot Doot by rapper Skrilla and has since been popularised by basketball star LaMelo Ball, who stands 6ft 7in tall.

Ward and members of the crowd burst out laughing inside the Sussex Transport Community Stadium, where the draw was taking place. Clips of the moment were soon shared across X by viewers and TNT Sports' official channels.

The away side Antonio actually drew was Altrincham or Harborough Town.

Antonio's appearance came just weeks after he resumed light training as he bids to return to football following a serious car crash that left him fearing for his career.

The Jamaica international suffered a broken leg when he lost control of his Ferrari in Epping Forest last December and was trapped in the wreckage for more than 45 minutes before being freed by emergency services.

He returned to training in June, featuring for Jamaica in three CONCACAF Gold Cup qualifiers, and has since been working with Brentford to regain fitness.

Antonio reportedly still hopes to secure a contract with a Premier League club after leaving West Ham in August when talks over a new deal broke down.

West Ham announced at the time that Antonio would continue to have 'access to training, facilities and medical care if needed.'

Antonio recently told talkSPORT that he remains determined to continue his playing career despite his move into punditry roles.

'No, definitely not,' he said when asked if he would now focus on media work full-time. 'I'm speaking to clubs right now to see where the best offer is for me to go, and we'll just see how it goes.

'To be honest, there's a mixture - we're talking to clubs here, we're talking to clubs abroad - but I'm going to leave it very vague, talk to clubs in England and abroad.'

Antonio said his main motivation was to feature for Jamaica at the 2026 World Cup in North America.

'That's one thing I've not managed to achieve for myself, to be playing in the World Cup, and Jamaica are very close to it,' he added.

Reflecting on his recovery from injury, Antonio stressed that he was determined not to let his career end prematurely.

'It's not just that, I just wouldn't want my career to come to an end by a car crash, literally,' he said. 'So I've got something to prove, to show that I can come back, I can come back and play well, which I was doing for the last 10 years.

'Even before I did the car crash, I was starting for West Ham, so it shows I've still got that ability about me and I can do it again.'

Antonio will continue training with Brentford as he weighs up his next move in the coming weeks.