A 2-0 win over Australia solidified passage for the Stars and Stripes into the knockout rounds and a 1-0 win for Paraguay over Turkey ensures the US will finish atop Group D. The two US wins to start this World Cup mean the Americans have accomplished something that American… pic.twitter.com/OqP1dw5uev

— CNN (@CNN) June 20, 2026

“We owe America an apology.”

As I scroll through Instagram, I come across a video from a Brit who is attending the World Cup.

In it, he excitedly details his newfound love of America, our culture, and our hospitality. He smiles from ear to ear, describing how welcome he has felt and how much he’ll miss the States when he leaves.

He also points out that his main source of information before his visit was the media and has since discovered that maybe, just maybe, that’s not the full picture of who Americans are and how we operate, “America, we owe you an apology.”

In similar videos, people from all over the world are sharing their experiences of their first-time encounters with ranch dressing (they love it!), their gobsmacked reactions to our big box stores (“they sell everything here!”), and their shock at how friendly Americans can be (“I had no idea Americans were so cool!).

And I have to admit, I’m having a really good time watching them have a really good time!

What gets me the most about these videos is how giddy these folks are to be experiencing our eclectic (and somewhat weird) culture.

How their eyes light up when they bite into a taco for the first time, how their mouth drops to the floor when they realize how big our nation is, and how poetic they get when they witness one of the millions of scenic views this beautiful land has to offer.

I have to say, this is the first time I’ve been proud to be an American in a long, long time.

My personal favorite story so far is how the Scots drank Boston dry! Being the daughter of a Scottish immigrant, this warmed my heart and also made me laugh! And how about all the bagpipers marching in the parade, with thousands of Americans cheering them on?

This is how the world could be if we let it—connected, respectful of differences without the need to win, and holding others up instead of pushing them down.

Imagine that!

The World Cup crowd has made me love America again—they’ve shifted my perspective and renewed my faith in my country, ranch dressing and all!

I think this is a lesson for all of us—to come to our own conclusions and experience things for ourselves. We’ve seen how dangerous assumptions can be, and how liberating it is when they get dashed.

Seeing people from across the globe fall in love with America feels like a shift is taking place—one where we can hold our heads up again and truly be free. Maybe we’re experiencing a glow-up?

I think the World Cup just saved America. What do you think?

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