‘TheEuropeanLad’ doxing controversy explained

Football enthusiast ‘TheEuropeanLad’ doxed after mocking Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.

Niels Vrakking, known online as ‘TheEuropeanLad’, deactivated his X (formerly Twitter) account after being doxed in a viral post.

The controversy began when Vrakking mocked Erling Haaland and referenced Mikel Arteta’s “stay humble” comment, following Manchester City’s elimination from the Champions League by Real Madrid.

TheEuropeanLad gets his whole family doxxed over these tweets…yea…

People are sick in the head. Unbelievable. Football Twitter is a shocking, shocking place. pic.twitter.com/wpduPWFwFd

— EiF (@EiFSoccer) February 22, 2025

In retaliation, an X user named Mopp, who identifies as Nigerian, publicly shared Vrakking’s personal details. The post included Vrakking's real name—Niels Vrakking—along with his age, location, and the names of his family members. This act of doxing quickly went viral, sparking outrage, especially due to the inclusion of his family members' personal information.

Prior to deactivating his account, Vrakking had amassed over 1 million followers on X, where he shared his football takes. He later posted on Instagram, explaining that the experience had severely affected his mental health. "I have experienced things that I don't wish on anybody... my mental health has reached an all-time low to the point where it feels almost irreparable,” Vrakking shared.

Vrakking made it clear that he would not return to X or any other platform, requesting privacy from his followers. Vrakking reiterated that his online presence was driven by a love for football, not financial gain.

🚨 TheEuropeanLad on Instagram pic.twitter.com/f4hNfEuq5q

— Janty (@CFC_Janty) February 22, 2025

While some Haaland and Manchester City fans celebrated Vrakking’s departure, many others condemned the doxing, calling it an immoral act that went far beyond a disagreement over football opinions. They particularly criticized the targeting of not just Vrakking but also his innocent family, highlighting the dangerous and unethical nature of such actions.