World Cup influencer Bob from Japan meets with The Dallas Morning News at Acai Brasil in Victory Park on Saturday.
Eric Prisbell
The World Cup fan known simply as Bob says he is weeks removed from sleeping on Seattle’s streets.
These days, he says he rides in a private jet, is approached daily by strangers for photos and has zero doubt he’ll get a ticket to Tuesday’s France-Spain semifinal at Dallas Stadium.
If you’ve followed the pageantry of the World Cup the last 30-plus days, you may recognize his face, or perhaps his signature line — “I don’t know what happened to me.” He’s known on social platforms as Bob from Japan, a World Cup-made influencer whose story reveals unique slices of modern fandom and American culture.
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One way to appreciate the largest World Cup in history is to watch the global stars shine on the field, from Lionel Messi and Harry Kane to Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal. Another way is to follow the stars made off the pitch, a 27-year-old Japanese man like Bob, whose video content about food, culture and hospitality fueled his sudden popularity.
Sitting in Acai Brasil in Victory Park on Saturday, a corner kick away from bars roaring with a cacophony of cheers from the England-Norway quarterfinal game, was Bob from Japan. In between strangers approaching for pictures, Bob, who declined to provide his full name, tried to wrap his mind around his experience of a lifetime the last two months in the United States.
“I don’t know what happened to me,” he said, chuckling, with a cowboy hat on his head, a World Cup scarf around his neck.
He’s genuine and endearing — and extremely happy.
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“Like, suddenly I became popular,” he said during a late afternoon with The Dallas Morning News. “I was confused. I suddenly became an influencer. I didn’t know how to do influencer life. I was really confused.
“Now I am used to it. I am very happy.”
Since May, Bob has visited at least six U.S. cities. He says he spent at least five weeks in Dallas alone. It’s a special place for him, always will be. He adores the hospitality, the seafood boil, the brisket, the warmth of fans, the excess of sports and entertainment.
When he talks about D-FW, he glows.
Related: How the world sees Dallas during the World Cup
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He says he had worked in real estate in Japan but dove head-first into trying to be a YouTube influencer three years ago and hasn’t looked back. In January, he left Japan for Vancouver.
And in May he embarked on a World Cup journey unlike any other, intent on soaking in the 48-team event across the U.S. on virtually no budget. He was leery about traveling to the U.S. because of news reports about how tourists are treated.
“I was little scared because of the news,” he said. “I thought some people hate tourists. [But] my image was completely changed. Everyone was so nice, so warm to me.”
He arrived in Seattle at midnight with “zero dollars, not even once cent.” His credit card was “over the limit.”
He says he slept on the street a handful of nights. Eventually, he made his way to famous Pike Place Market, where he started doing Japanese calligraphy for people.
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Sleepless in Seattle, so to speak, he will never forget the man who gave him $20, took him around Seattle and let him sleep at his home.
His West Coast travels included visiting Las Vegas, watching the Michael Jackson movie and performing the moonwalk on the street.
Bob was on his way. A (off-the-pitch) World Cup star was born. In his videos, the people, the food, the restaurants, they are the supporting cast.
‘Thank you so much, Dallas’
More than $10,000 in fan donations (his estimate) later, he’s become a sensation.
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When he arrived in the U.S., he said he had “nothing, nothing. I just came here. I was going to do hitchhiking but a lot of people helped me.”
Some people bought him plane tickets. Some bought him bus tickets.
He arrived in Dallas with no place to stay. He posted on social media “Please let me stay somewhere.” People started direct messaging him, “You can stay at my house!”
Last month, he was staying in a spacious private loft at The Village Dallas. When The News tried to meet up with him there, a simple message to the front desk, “I’m here to see Bob from Japan,” prompted an immediate escort to his room with a staff member in charge of VIP guest experiences.
Related: Next week’s FIFA World Cup semifinal is sending D-FW hotel prices skyward
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On Wednesday he leaves Dallas, likely to be recognized at the airport a time or 10. He will be en route to Miami for a week. Then New York. Then back to Seattle, a victory lap of sorts, to thank the city. Then back to Vancouver.
He says post-World Cup life will include creating traveling content worldwide.
“I want to share the world for Japanese people,” he said.
He will depart with memories for a lifetime.
He went to Texas Live! “Amazing,” he said.
He went to Cosm. “I thought I was in a stadium,” he said.
Related: ‘They have wells of salsa’: What World Cup fans have enjoyed that Texans take for granted
He has a boat load of T-shirts from restaurants. He’s been to four World Cup matches so far. And he can’t wait for France-Spain on Tuesday.
“I’m getting my ticket,” he said.
How? From where? Whatever. Is he popular enough to basically venture anywhere during the World Cup?
“Yes,” he said, flashing a smile.
A momentous bookend to his unforgettable time in Dallas.
“Thank you so much, Dallas,” he said. “I always feel really happy. I love Dallas.”
Audience journalist Shannon Worley contributed to this story.