USMNT’s Kevin Paredes on death threats due to fake social media post

The USMNT U-23 Olympian faced severe racial abuse and death threats on social media due to false posts.

By Kelvin Loyola

Updated on August 12, 2024 12:11PM EDT

Updated on August 12, 2024 12:11PM EDT

© IMAGOKevin Paredes

Kevin Paredesa rising star for the U.S. men’s national soccer team and his German club VfL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga, sadly endured intense racial abuse and threats following a defeat to Morocco in the Olympic football tournament.

A user posted fake quotes attributed to the American winger stating, “I don’t know this Morocco you are talking about, all I know is that we are winning the match tomorrow.”, leading to a torrent of hateful messages. Overwhelmed by the abuse and threats against his family, Paredes publicly denied the fabricated statements and expressed his distress over the situation.

Despite the negative impact on his mental health, he received support and apologies from some fans, which has been a strong anchor for the 21-year-old.

Kevin Paredes on fake comments and online abuse

Kevin Paredes spoke to The Athletic, stating, “In this day and age, everyone believes everything on social media. It can really ruin someone’s mental health or just their mind in general.”

ACHRAF HAKIMI comforts KEVIN PAREDES (USA) with post game despair during a Olympics- Quarter Final game, Morocco versus USA, at Parc De Princes.

He also described his emotional distress when the threats began targeting his family: “When it got to the point where it was about my family… I’m really emotional about my family. It was a lot to handle. I got death threats to my family, to my brothers. One brother started getting comments as well to his Instagram.”

The fake quotes, which falsely claimed Paredes was unaware of Morocco’s team, went viral. Reflecting on the situation, Paredes said, “This is not me or who I am as a person. Of course, I knew who their team was.”

Kelvin Loyola is a seasoned content writer and journalist at Bolavip, boasting over 15 years of experience in sports journalism and marketing. He has covered a wide array of sports including the USMNT, MLS, Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, Ligue 1, and Liga MX, as well as the NBA, MLB, NHL, and various entertainment topics. Prior to his journalism and marketing career, Kelvin worked in post-production, contributing to numerous movie, television, and digital projects. He also brings expertise in project management, social media, and web development. A graduate of Queens College with a degree in Media Studies, Kelvin is bilingual, fluent in both English and Spanish. His passions extend beyond his career to include soccer, marketing, photography, surfing, and pop culture, particularly comics.