This 4th of July we celebrated 250 years of American history with foreign soccer fans filling the world’s cup with American freedom while watching the FIFA World Cup.
Belting out the John Denver anthem ‘Country Roads’ in stadiums across this country, these international visitors have taken us to “a place” we all “belong.”
The voices of these America-loving football fans have even, temporarily, drowned out the native chorus of off-key anti-Americanism amongst the Left.
The View’s Sunny Hostin had this to say about the display of our national emblem, “There are times when I walk into a community and I see American flags all over the community and I suddenly feel unsafe.” Hostin’s aversion is due to the fact the flag’s horizontal stripes make her look fat-headed.
Former Meet the Press Host Chuck Todd, raged on his podcast against the celebration accusing President Trump of sullying “the brand of America,” while hoping the nation’s 275th celebration will “make up for what we missed in this anniversary.” We can only hope 25 years from now we will have chucked Todd.
Foreign nationals crisscross our country chasing their nation’s teams and finding an unexpected America. From Wal-Mart to Buc-ee’s, McDonald’s to Chik-Fil-a, these visitors experienced America unfiltered by politics or partisan bias.
On our country’s roads they found congenial hosts and the heart and soul of Americans.
@FreddyLA7, a German, wrote, “I love Americans. We were about to walk an hour to the stadium in the rain to save on an Uber, and the receptionist at the hotel we were parked in front of decided to drive us there.”
A country whose cuisine is often derided by European culinary snobs served heaping helpings of comfort food and comforting congeniality to all.
@SkylarSkye3 posted a photo of food from the grocery chain Erewhon. “I can’t lie… the food in America is ridiculous,” she wrote. “Everyone talks about portion sizes, but nobody talks enough about how GOOD everything tastes. Even the ‘quick’ food feels elite compared to what I’m used to in the U.K.”
“Almost heaven” In big cities and the nation’s byways, soccer fans loved everything about our country, including ranch dressing. It’s so popular that TSA issued an advisory warning to travelers about their 3.5-ounce limit for carry-on liquids. Ranch is good to go, but not to travel.
“Life is old there, older than the trees.” Life is old in Scotland. One Scottish visitor wrote on social media, “Every Scottish person in America needs to immediately try Chicken Fried Steak, and you’ll realise we and the Americans are kindred spirits.”
“Younger than the mountains, growin’ like a breeze”. This country is just now entering its adolescence, and it is our abundance, vigor, and seemingly inexhaustible optimism at which our foreign brothers and sisters marvel.
Amid our 4th of July celebrations, the World Cup reminds us that ours is a good and generous nation whose history, while not perfect, is not fully written and in which we still seek to form a more perfect union.
World football fans may have been beguiled by the portion size of our menu offerings, but it is the breadth and scope of our resources and unbounded ambitions that cause their eyes to go wide while filling their stomachs.
German Sebastian Krause spoke to an NBC affiliate in Boston, having to turn away from the camera when asked about his American experience to hide his tears. Using his team’s jersey to wipe his eyes, Krause spoke of the depth of his emotions. “I fall in love with this country and this was so emotional, I even cried in the stadium,” Krause said.
The America Krause found was not the one he was expecting.Based on new reports Krause believed he was headed into crime-savaged wasteland. “To be honest, I was a bit scared or had a fear to travel to the United States. News about shootings and criminals and that the country’s not safe,” he explained.
“Country roads, take me home to the place I belong.” By the thousands, these visitors sang ‘Country Roads’ until their vocal cords strained, but at no point has the hospitality of America or Americans been anywhere close to being so.
They all sang; Norwegians, British, Argentinians, Egyptians, Belgians, Mexicans, Americans, and others sharing a song, a country, and hearts knitted together by sport and US cordiality.
It took the happy and expectant faces of our foreign friends to remind us ours is a nation of plenty and goodness. That the promise of America is liberty, not entitlement. The seeds of our peculiar democracy are the God-given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Watered by the blood of patriots, this oak of a nation still grows today, sheltering so many from the fierce winds of tyrants, soaking rain of oppression and unrelenting heat of dictators and despots.
“All my memories, they gather ’round her”. On a tiny island in New York Harbor the great Lady Liberty still stands, her torch beaming across the ocean to give light and hope to the rest of the world. Beckoning those who dream of a better life, self-determination, and freedom to think, speak, and pray as they see fit.
America is not a nation of outcomes, but of opportunity. As with sport, it is merit we value, not wealth or caste. In America, and on the pitch, it is effort, talent, grit, perseverance, and hard work that pave the road to victory.
Americans do not seek unearned or preordained trophies. We like the blood, sweat and tears true accomplishment requires. Whoever ultimately hoists the FIFA World Cup will have earned it and Americans wouldn’t have it any other way.
4th of July 2026 celebrations overflowed into the World Cup, making it all that much sweeter. Americans rolled out the red, white, and blue carpet to the shock and amazement of foreign visitors who looked upon the breadth of our nation with stars in their eyes, fifty of them.
Our roads traverse a mighty and diverse place whose best days are ahead. Our country’s roads are more than lines on a map; they are the veins by which the lifeblood of commerce and freedom flows to the heart of our democracy. That heart is good, kind, and healthy.
Our nation, our home is an experiment in self-government. Our freedoms aren’t abrogated by a royal despot, but by our own hand. We the people created political elites, some of whom see America as a dystopian collection of evil robber barons, racists, and oppressors. They see, not which is there, but that which their envy and avarice create.
This country’s roads aren’t free of mayhem, mishap, and malice but it is the drivers not the roads who are to blame. We are at once the country these soccer fans see and the one that on occasion fails to live up to its ideals. One and the same.
If thousands of sports-loving tourists can find the greatness of America, so can we.
“Take me home, country roads.”
