Football Twitter has long been a battleground for passionate debates, real-time updates, and fan interactions. Among the most prominent figures in this space was The European Lad, an account with over 1 million followers on X (formerly Twitter). Known for providing real-time match updates, insightful opinions, and engaging content, European Lad was a go-to source for football fans. However, in a shocking turn of events, the account was recently doxxed, leading to its deactivation. Today, we explore why this happened and what led to his abrupt departure.
Who Was European Lad?
European Lad was a widely followed football Twitter account that provided live updates during matches. His posts often included screenshots, key moments from games, and personal opinions.
For many, he was a reliable source, sometimes even preferred over mainstream football apps like FotMob or OneFootball. However, as with any prominent football personality, he had his share of supporters and detractors.
In terms of his personal opinion he had a preference towards Lionel Messi and Barcelona as a whole as opposed to their rivals Real Madrid.
The Doxxing Incident: What Happened?
The controversy that led to his downfall started when European Lad commented on a post related to Manchester City’s elimination from the UEFA Champions League. A Manchester City fan had posted an image of the squad, possibly in an attempt to defend their dominance despite their Champions League exit. In response, European Lad posted:
“From stay humble to 9 points below Arsenal, 17 points below Liverpool, and out of the Champions League. Karma always comes.”
This comment referenced Erling Haaland’s “stay humble” remark earlier in the season when City had drawn against Arsenal. Following City’s decline in form and their exit from multiple competitions, European Lad’s post highlighted the irony of Haaland’s statement.
However, this triggered an extreme reaction. A user known as Mopp, who had a Tottenham Hotspur player’s picture as his profile image along with an LGBTQ and Nigerian flag, retaliated by doxxing European Lad. This included leaking his real name, photos, family details, and even private information about his relatives, including parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles.
The Aftermath: European Lad Bids Farewell
The personal attacks escalated quickly, with Mop even threatening to expose followers and friends of European Lad, such as another football account named Bernice. Amidst this, European Lad deactivated his account, leaving behind a final message on Twitter using the famous image of Xabi Alonso retiring—holding up his boots—along with a white dove and heartbreak emoji, signaling his exit from the platform.
Shortly after, he posted a farewell statement on Instagram:
“Hey everyone, I wanted to let you know that I have decided to stop being on X. I have made my decision not to return, neither on a separate account nor any other platform. In the past 24 hours, I have experienced things that I wouldn’t wish on anybody—not even those responsible. My mental health has reached an all-time low, to the point where it feels almost irreparable. I will shut down all social media and try to feel better. My only ultimate request is to please leave me be. Money was never my motivation. For five years, I did this for free, purely out of my love for football. Thank you to everyone who supported me over the years.”
The Internet Reacts
The football community erupted with mixed reactions. Many prominent Twitter accounts condemned the doxxing.
Dr. Ignacio, a football personality with 16.5k followers, stated:
“Okay, time out. I just discovered he was doxxed. This is not okay. It’s not that serious, honestly. How sad must you be to expose someone’s private information over football opinions?”
Another user, United Alex Seven, expressed outrage:
“Why the heck would you dox generations of European Lad’s family? You make me sick. Sure, you may not like the guy, but what do you get by attacking his grandpa and aunts?”
However, not everyone was sympathetic. Some users recalled past controversies where European Lad criticized Vinicius Jr., accusing him of being overly provocative on the pitch. One user argued:
“I remember when this guy used to paint Vinicius as provocative, playing the racial card. He watched Vinicius get racially abused but still blamed him. Now he can’t stomach it when his personal information gets leaked? People act like they are mentally strong, but they can’t take half the abuse they expect others to endure.”
The Vinicius Jr. Incident: A Case of Misleading Narratives?
One notable example of European Lad’s alleged misinformation was a post related to Vinicius Jr. in a match against Valencia. Although the original post and account have since been deleted, on August 19, 2024, a Real Madrid fan named Edwin RMFC (who had around 15.5k followers) called him out for spreading misinformation about Vinicius Jr.
According to Edwin RMFC, Vinicius was hyping up the Real Madrid fans when the referee approached him to talk. Vinicius, however, signaled that he did not wish to speak and pointed towards Carvajal instead, seemingly directing the referee to approach him. European Lad, based on available evidence, might have used a misleading screenshot to frame Vinicius Jr. as being disrespectful, confrontational, or aggressive toward the referee. Given the history of racial abuse Vinicius Jr. has suffered—especially in matches against Valencia—this misrepresentation could have fueled further hostility against him.
This instance adds weight to the argument that European Lad often shaped narratives to suit a particular agenda especially against Vinicius and Real Madrid. Some believe that the backlash he eventually faced was a form of poetic justice, a consequence of his own misleading reporting. Others, however, argue that the doxxing of his personal details and the targeting of his family members went too far, crossing ethical boundaries.
The Role of ‘Mopp’ and the Aftermath
Initially, many assumed that European Lad’s information was leaked by Real Madrid fans, given his alleged anti-Madrid bias. However, it later emerged that a user named ‘Mop’—who falsely presented himself as a Tottenham fan and a Nigerian—was behind the leaks. This revelation further complicated the narrative, as it suggested a coordinated effort to shift blame onto Real Madrid fans.
A Real Madrid supporter pointed out that the moment European Lad made a post about Manchester City, Mop retaliated by leaking his private details. This suggests that personal vendettas, rather than club allegiances, may have been at play in this entire fiasco.
Mopp’s Attempt to Play the Victim
Once Mop began receiving backlash, he attempted to shift the narrative by claiming that he was facing racial abuse. He posted:
“I have been receiving a lot of racist abuse lately. That is simply unacceptable. I might consider going private. Please, there is more to Twitter than being racist.”
Mop had a Nigerian flag and an LGBT flag in his bio, which some believe made him a target for racist comments. However, others argue that this was merely a tactic to deflect blame and paint himself as the victim. Later rumors surfaced that Mop was actually Romanian, and he deliberately changed his location to Lagos, Nigeria, to mislead people. By doing so, he aimed to redirect public outrage onto Nigerians, exploiting existing biases and causing further division.
Mopp’s Final Words and Panic Mode
Realizing that the situation was spiraling out of control, Mop went into full panic mode. His last post before going private read:
“I did everyone a favor getting rid of that freak. For now, I will lay low. My followers, too many weirdos on this app. We will soon expose all the people that ruined the Full Time family.”
Before disappearing, he also attempted to intimidate another Arsenal fan account named Jay (@CAGIAGOKIAGO), who had defended European Lad. Mop allegedly threatened to leak Jay’s personal information as well. However, as mass reports flooded in against Mop for violating platform policies by doxxing, his account was ultimately suspended.
A Dangerous Precedent for Football Twitter
The doxxing of European Lad highlights the toxic extremes of online football discourse. While debates and rivalries are part of the sport’s culture, the line is crossed when personal information is weaponized. This incident sets a dangerous precedent—if an anonymous football account with over a million followers can be taken down through doxxing, what’s stopping others from facing similar attacks?
Football Twitter has always been passionate, but this case reveals its darker, more dangerous side. Whether one agreed with European Lad’s opinions or not, no one deserves to have their private life exposed over football debates. As the football community reflects on this incident, it’s crucial to recognize the importance of responsible discourse and the real-life impact of online harassment.
