REUTERS/Maryam Majd
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 32 - Germany v Paraguay - Fans gather in Berlin - Sony Center, Berlin, Germany - June 29, 2026 Germany fans react during the penalty shootout at the Sony Center in Berlin during the match
One of the biggest stars of the 2026 FIFA World Cup didn’t play a single second of any game. He didn’t manage a team, or even feature on television.
Instead, X user @FreddyLA7 became a seemingly overnight sensation on social media due to his sheer wonder over exploring and discovering the United States and its culture.
The German soccer fan visited the country with friends to follow his national team around the country, and even into Canada, for the World Cup.
Along the way, he shared various photos and stories from famous fast food chains and scenic views and drew a massive following.
It all came across as extremely wholesome and genuine … and then the brands and celebrities started to get involved.
Once Freddy’s posts hit the mainstream, suddenly brands everywhere and even government officials got involved. He and his friends got behind-the-scenes tours of various sports venues, a trip to NASA where he FaceTimed the International Space Station, a stay at a five-star hotel in Houston thanks to JJ Watt, and even a meet-and-greet with rising country star Ella Langley.
Naturally, the newfound fame turned off some people, even as Freddy remained anonymous and refused to do marketing pitches. Throughout the process, he maintained that he’d likely disappear once Germany’s World Cup run ended.
On Tuesday, the Germans lost in heartbreaking fashion to Paraguay on penalty kicks … and just like that, @FreddyLA7 was gone.
@FreddyLA7 Disappears From Social Media After
Early on in the process, several Instagram accounts popped up pretending to be Freddy. He maintained throughout the process that these were all fraudulent.
Eventually, he directed people to his newly created real Instagram account, which included very little content.
Shortly after Germany’s loss in Paraguay, his X account vanished. He took to Instagram to explain why.
@FreddyLA7 on Instagram
@FreddyLA7 Instagram post explains why he deleted X account
“Too many people seem to have a problem with us having a genuinely good time here… this is ruining the fun a bit for us,” he wrote, noting that people on X were “digging in my 22k posts” to resurface older content “with zero context to make me look like a bad person.”
Honestly, it’s hard to blame him for wanting to get off social media as soon as possible. Sure, it helped contribute to his brief fame and a once-in-a-lifetime trip. But, as always, it also resulted in people trying to tear him down almost immediately.
According to the Instagram account, Freddy and his friends plan to continue their trip through the U.S. until mid-July. But he won’t be documenting the trip on X, and that’s probably best for all involved.