Americans are proud and friendly people who love sports and a good party
Soccer in America has not caught on or amassed a huge fan base comparable to the beloved American football and baseball even though officials claim that there are 136 million soccer fans in North America.
European fans of soccer’s World Cup and Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) changed how Americans view soccer and how Europeans and other foreign nationals view America.
For decades, the mainstream press in Europe and in America always portrayed America as a violent and horrible place to visit and Americans as bumbling, uncultured, uneducated, loud, and mean spirited. Not anymore!
The 2026 World Cup became the biggest free advertising platform for the beauty of America and its lovely people. FIFA estimates that the Men’s World Cup attracted an audience of 3.5 billion people from the estimated 3.5-5 billion fans globally in South America, Africa, Australia, the Middle East, and Europe.
The Scots, with their large army of fans in kilts and bagpipe players, and the Viking fans with their rowing chants became the biggest free advertisers for America on social media platforms.
The Scots emptied bars of beer in Boston and Miami. The cheering for their team was infectious. They were happy that their team made it to the World Cup after 28 years. Many fans spent their lives’ savings coming to America for this event and were quite happy about it as a once in a lifetime occasion.
The Orange Legion, made up of passionate Dutch supporters, has brought the Orange Bus to every European Championship and every World Cup since the 1970s, sending the bus by ship to reach their destinations.
The Orange Bus is the central point of the Dutch rallies and has traveled to South Africa, Brazil, and Qatar. It arrived in America in Galveston and then traveled north to Houston. The fan group is known for high-energy marches, 2.5 miles or longer, and synchronized dancing.
The Vikings fans with their orange bus and the Scots who traveled across America from Boston, following their teams, taught Americans how to be devoted, highly entertaining and synchronized fans.
Once the bagpipes left the Boston area, the song, No Scotland, No Party, became the siren call of other game locations.
What did the European fans find out about America?
American people smile at strangers, are fun, friendly, welcoming, and happy.
America is vast and beautiful with majestic landscapes and long roads.
American healthcare is the best they have ever encountered.
American food is delicious and as varied as its diverse population. Portions are much larger than European ones. Buffets are everywhere. Waffle House serves food at 2 a.m. Yeast rolls and bagels are delicious.
Buc-ee’s is the best and largest gas station they have ever seen and the stores and restrooms are immaculately clean.
Parking lots are plentiful and found adjacent to the places Americans go to shop and eat, not miles away from a venue.
Americans love their cars and drive miles and miles to their favorite restaurants and stores. I am one of those Americans who used to drive 67 miles to a favorite mall and restaurant in the south.
America is young when compared to senescent Europe, but it showcases many well-preserved historical places, museums, amazing parks like the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone, and natural wonders with archeological sites.
More Americans own homes than Europeans do and Airbnb houses brought many international fans together.
European fans enjoyed American life in general and American hospitality, including that of police officers.
Novelties like the Bass Pro Shops and the ice machines were on the list of things Europeans loved. I am not sure how much hunting and fishing there is in Europe. But, if you ask for ice, you are eventually offered two cubes per glass with an irritated face. They believe drinking anything cold is not good for your health.
European fans happily discovered that air conditioning is present everywhere and people do not develop pneumonia or sore throats from A/C like Europeans believe. Unlike Europe where electricity is expensive on purpose “to save the planet,” Americans can afford to run their air conditioners and other appliances at the same time, without short-circuiting the entire block.
The moral of the story about all the free and positive advertising America received? Never trust the mainstream media! People with similar cultures have more in common than the talking heads are allowed to think and speak. Americans are proud and friendly people who love sports and a good party.
Read next: Talking Heads Say The Knicks Are A “Likeable” Team, But Their Fans Are Animals
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