The Football World Cup does more than just generate excitement on the pitch; it also influences the personal behavior of many fans. Skylar May, a 23-year-old content creator from Arizona, USA, has made this striking claim. The social media star, who boasts over four million followers on Instagram, says she has been receiving significantly more requests and messages from male fans since the World Cup began.
Skylar reports a substantial increase in her earnings since the tournament started. According to her, the event alone has added approximately $100,000 (around £74,542) to her monthly income.
She describes this as her busiest time of the year, noting that the World Cup isn’t even over yet. She claims that football-loving fans ask her to create videos wearing national team jerseys, make jokes about rival teams, or produce specific content featuring particular players.
Some fans even believe that watching a personalized video made by her just before a match brings good luck to their favorite team. Skylar explains, “Many ask me to wear a team’s jersey, socks, and shorts while learning their slogans. They believe this will help their team win. Others want me to act out scenes like stretching or preparing for a big match.”
She adds that the most amusing requests come from die-hard supporters. They provide detailed instructions on which players to mention, which ones to avoid, and why these details matter.
“I think a lot of what I’ve learned about football has come from my subscribers,” she says.
According to Skylar, football becomes an integral part of many people’s identities from childhood; consequently, the World Cup impacts almost every aspect of their lives.
As she puts it, “Every fan has a player they absolutely dislike, and they never fail to let me know about it.”
She notes that while a large portion of her fanbase is in the US, she regularly receives requests from England and other countries around the world. Speaking about English fans, she remarks that they tend to be very superstitious. Skylar notes that many people insist she wear the same socks or underwear before every match, viewing them as lucky charms. One fan even insisted she eat mashed potatoes before the England-Ghana match, simply because he had eaten the same dish during a previous victory.
Another English supporter vowed not to shave his beard until England was eliminated from the tournament; he wanted Skylar to make a video telling him to “keep the beard.”
She previously held the impression that England fans were merely loud in their support, but she discovered they are actually deeply superstitious, believing that even minor details can influence the team’s fortunes.
In contrast, she describes US fans as comparatively more positive, noting that they tend to make fewer negative comments about opposing teams and focus more on enthusiastically supporting their own side.
Skylar believes that interest among Americans has surged significantly because the World Cup is being hosted in the United States this time.
Finally, she observes that the passion surrounding the World Cup impacts people’s personal emotions. As she puts it, the excitement of football fans often transforms into various other emotional states—ranging from high energy and celebration to deep sentimentality. When someone spends weeks thinking about nothing but the World Cup, it can become an integral part of their personal imagination and emotional life.
