German soccer fan Freddy nearly misses World Cup match in Toronto until JJ Watt steps in

Former Houston Texans player JJ Watt (left) and Freddy's view from an American Airlines plane window (right). (AP Photo/Maria Lysaker; @FreddyLA7/X)

A beloved soccer fan is giving kudos to former NFL star JJ Watt, who helped them fly out to Toronto to catch the FIFA World Cup match on Saturday.

In a post on social media on Friday, the fan—who goes by the name of Freddy online—shared how their connecting flight from Dallas, Texas to Buffalo, N.Y. had been cancelled due to the weather. From there, Freddy said they were going to drive the rest of the way to Toronto.

“They rebooked us on a flight tomorrow evening. We’re gonna miss the Germany match,” the post reads.

Freddy is a German World Cup visitor who has gone viral lately for his U.S. road trip during the 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament.

The soccer fan first started documenting their trip on June 3, sharing a picture of their suitcase with six-weeks-worth of clothes, which appeared to primarily contain jerseys. Freddy then started reacting to American chains like Taco Bell, which he called “the holy land”. Freddy’s identity currently remains a mystery.

Freddy’s post from Friday went viral among his more than half-million followers on X, garnering 12 million views, 75,000 likes, and more than four thousand responses.

Many commented with alternate routes in hopes of getting him across the border in time for kickoff, including the CEO of a private aviation company.

About four hours later, however, Freddy said they made it on a flight to Buffalo.

“American Airlines was incredibly helpful and made it possible for us to get on this flight. A special thank you to @JJWatt for organizing it while we were in the air to Dallas. Big thanks as well to everyone else who offered their help,” the post reads.

In response, the airline said they were happy to get Freddy to the World Cup match in time.

“Getting fans to the match is kind of our thing,” the post on X reads.

Meanwhile, Watt shared a meme of Leonardo Dicaprio from the movie “The Wolf of Wall Street.”

By early Saturday morning, Freddy shared a picture online of a sign signalling Canada was up ahead.

This is the second time the soccer fan credited former Houston Texans player for helping them make their World Cup experience special.

On June 14, Freddy gave a “huge huge thank you” to Watt for their hotel stay in Houston for the Germany v. Curaçao match, which came stacked with snacks and Houston-themed merchandise.

“We’re glad to have you Freddy,” Watt said in a post on social media. “Houston is a special place, we’ll make sure you’re treated right.”

Germany beat Curaçao 7-1 that day. The European team is scheduled to take on the Ivory Coast at Toronto Stadium at 4 p.m. Saturday.