I am sick and tired of listening to wealthy, out-of-touch liberals and their media megaphones trash America. Every day we’re told this country is broken, backward, divided, and somehow unworthy of pride.

So today, let’s talk about something different.

Let’s talk about a story making headlines around the globe: millions of FIFA World Cup visitors are getting their first real look at the United States—and they like what they see.

America is a great country. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Listen to the more than 10 million visitors who have arrived expecting one thing and discovered something entirely different. They are seeing America with fresh eyes, and many are in awe of a place many of us may be tempted to take for granted.

Listen for yourself.

Regardless of who wins the final match of the World Cup, America is the real winner in my book.

Because if many of these visitors had relied solely on the news—whether here or abroad—they would have every reason to hate us. Instead, they came here, saw America for themselves, and discovered a country that is welcoming, vibrant, and full of opportunity.

Many have gone so far as to call it the greatest country on Earth—a phrase that would likely send the folks at *The View* or MSNBC into a collective meltdown.

Even CNN has been forced to acknowledge what’s happening because the story has become impossible to ignore. One German tourist admitted that international media sold Europeans a version of America that simply doesn’t match reality.

Europeans aren’t exactly known for rolling out the red carpet for American tourists. Many Americans who travel abroad can tell you that firsthand.

Yet these World Cup visitors are discovering something different here. Americans have been overwhelmingly welcoming, and that hospitality seems to be catching many foreign visitors completely off guard.

Ordinary interactions with ordinary Americans—at places like Buc-ee’s, Waffle House, and Costco—are proving more persuasive than any tourism campaign ever could. They’re experiencing firsthand the friendliness, generosity, and optimism that still define much of this country.

One British comedian says he’s thrilled to see it.

He’s right.

The fabric of this country is beautiful, even when our own leaders fail to recognize it.

Too often, Democrats and media personalities build entire careers around telling Americans what’s wrong with America. Their campaigns, interviews, and cable news appearances often paint this nation as fundamentally flawed or even irredeemable.

But this month has exposed just how disconnected that narrative is from reality.

When two Democratic lawmakers were recently asked who they were rooting for in the World Cup, they couldn’t even bring themselves to support the country they were elected to represent.

It’s sad—and entirely predictable.

There seems to be no appreciation for what makes this nation special.

Meanwhile, visitors from Europe can’t get enough of it. One British tourist was so impressed that he declared he’d do whatever it takes to become part of what he considers the greatest country on Earth.

Come on in, brother.

The American left—and much of the European media—love portraying Americans as xenophobic rednecks who hate outsiders.

The reality couldn’t be more different.

Americans generally welcome people who appreciate this country, respect its values, and want to contribute to its future. People who recognize that America is special and want to preserve what makes it special are exactly the kind of people who fit into the American story.

What many Americans reject is the idea that citizenship and national identity should mean nothing—that people can arrive, take advantage of the system, refuse to assimilate, and somehow that’s supposed to be celebrated.

Yet these visitors are embracing American culture in a matter of days.

Take these Scots and Germans, for example, who have been having the time of their lives.

What this demonstrates is that it isn’t difficult to enjoy living here, and it isn’t difficult to become part of our culture.

American culture is something worth celebrating. It’s something people from every corner of the world can participate in, appreciate, and embrace.

Just ask this French visitor. Apparently, all it took was a Texas barbecue dinner and a trip to Costco to convince him that America is the greatest.

Texas brisket will do that to you.

But in all seriousness, I hope these visitors return home inspired.

I hope they demand more from their own countries. I hope they fight for freedom, reward excellence, preserve their cultures, and reject the growing belief that national pride is somehow something to be ashamed of.

Much of Europe has embraced the globalist notion that patriotism should be suppressed and that success should be sacrificed in pursuit of enforced equality.

Maybe these travelers will return home with a renewed appreciation for what made their nations great in the first place.

And perhaps Americans should do the same.

For years, many of us have warned that our country is drifting toward a globalist future that erodes national identity and undermines the values that made America exceptional. Those concerns remain valid.

But seeing America through the eyes of these astonished visitors is also a reminder that there is still something remarkable here.

Freedom.

Abundance.

Opportunity.

Beauty.

And yes, apparently even free ice water and refillable soft drinks.

At least according to this British tourist.

When a tourist is blown away by a gas station experience, that’s when you know we really have something special.

In the end, this World Cup has delivered far more than goals, trophies, and highlight reels. It has given the world an unfiltered look at America through fresh eyes—and the verdict is overwhelmingly positive.

Millions of visitors arrived expecting the caricature sold by international media and America’s harshest critics. Instead, they discovered a country defined by generosity, abundance, opportunity, and everyday kindness.

From Buc-ee’s to Texas barbecue, from packed stadiums to friendly strangers, they found that the American Dream isn’t some outdated myth. It’s still alive.

And perhaps the greatest lesson is for us.

While some of our own leaders struggle to celebrate this nation, visitors from across the globe are waving our flag, singing our songs, and marveling at what they’ve found here. Their appreciation should remind us of what we risk losing if cynicism and self-loathing become our defining national characteristics.

America is not perfect.

No nation is.

But it remains profoundly good.

And after this summer, millions of visitors know it.

Soon they’ll head home and tell the world what they saw.

America the Beautiful isn’t just a song.

It’s still a reality.