The Power of Sports: Americans Adopt German Soccer Fan As He Travels the South Before 2026 World Cup

Even if you’re not a sports fan, you have to admit that there is a certain beauty in sports, especially in today’s fractured and divided world.

Think about it: When it comes to the pursuit of a team championship, players typically won’t care about who their teammate voted for, whether or not they support Israel, or their thoughts on abortion.

Athletes care about whether or not you can contribute to the team’s goal, period.

And that camaraderie applies to fans, too. When two New York Knicks fans are rooting on their team at Madison Square Garden, their ideologies and political beliefs don’t matter. It’s all about the team, the joy of winning, and the agony of defeat.

Which brings us to the 2026 World Cup, set to be hosted by the United States of America.

While soccer may not be the biggest sport in America, the World Cup is still a massive deal that will attract fans of all stripes and countries of origin to the U.S. This may very well be the most Europeans to be in America at once since the redcoats ran this place.

And you’d have to forgive me for expecting the worst. You’re mixing tribalism, sports fandom and national pride, and dropping it into America?

Funnily enough, it appears the exact opposite has happened.

Americans have seemingly “adopted” many of these European soccer fans who appear to be in awe at the grandeur and spectacle of this country, and honorarily folded them into the fabric of Americana.

Take this X user, “Freddy,” who is a German soccer fan. He’s been chronicling his adventures in America, and it’s been a smash hit on social media.

The German soccer fan’s adventures began in Atlanta, where he had a very prescient observation about American culture:

Why is every second comment telling me to go to a strip club? Is this a normal activity to do in America?😭😭

— Freddy🇩🇪 (@FreddyLA7) June 7, 2026

But one of Freddy’s biggest X hits was when he posted about his adventure to iconic American eatery Waffle House:

Just had our first Waffle House experience at 1am. Great food, great prices, and friendly staff. 10/10, we will be coming back.😋 pic.twitter.com/QHgftpqfoX

— Freddy🇩🇪 (@FreddyLA7) June 8, 2026

“Just had our first Waffle House experience at 1am,” the X account posted, to the tune of over 92,000 likes. “Great food, great prices, and friendly staff. 10/10, we will be coming back.”

Another viral post, this one with over 65,000 likes, was in awe over the opulence of fast food chain Wendy’s:

Lmao how am I supposed to choose from all of this? This is overwhelming me😭😭😭 https://t.co/PBMhyA5BLt pic.twitter.com/Rq3Jel7y3G

— Freddy🇩🇪 (@FreddyLA7) June 8, 2026

But the most unbelievable part of all this comes when you look at the comments. Instead of the typical social media venom and vitriol, there was just a lot of good-natured suggestions on what to do next in America, or just otherwise sharing in this X account’s excitement.

Of course, Freddy wasn’t the only European discovering that things are bigger in America, even outside of Texas.

Not gonna lie, Big Gulps from 7/11 are easily one of my favourite things I’ve discovered in America so far 😂 pic.twitter.com/3Tsk20Rg2U

— John 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 (@BRFCJohn) June 8, 2026

Why did no one tell me ranch sauce is like crack? EUROPE WE NEED RANCH ASAP https://t.co/YNtnPJopVZ pic.twitter.com/gN0iSjiKSe

— Elsa (@elsathora) June 9, 2026

Yes, these are real posts extolling the virtues of the American Big Gulp and ranch dressing — two things many locals probably take for granted.

There’s a very good reason these innocuous social media interactions are so refreshing.

Social media has conditioned us to expect every interaction between strangers to devolve into a political argument, a culture war skirmish, or a contest to see who can be the most cynical person in the room.

Instead, we’ve watched thousands of Americans in real-time enthusiastically play tour guide for complete strangers from across the Atlantic, offering restaurant recommendations, travel tips, and encouragement as they discover everything from Waffle House to ranch dressing. It feels like a glimpse of an internet — and society — that many of us remember, but rarely get to see anymore.

And maybe that’s the real lesson here.

Sports obviously don’t magically erase our differences, but they do remind us that there are things bigger than those differences. For a few weeks, millions of people from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds are united by a shared love of the beautiful game and a shared curiosity about one another.

And in an era where division often feels like the default setting, there’s something genuinely heartening about watching Europeans fall in love with America one Big Gulp, one Waffle House meal, and one soccer match at a time. (I will never call it “futbol”).

Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.