Soccer is like Rollerball. It is the way xenophobic and nationalist rage is expressed nationstates in the “old world”. They are upset with US/us because we don’t care about their game.
On the other hand, in this day of increasing globalization, it’s good to still see some displays of unabashed nationalism.
And if the US team ever made it to the semis of the World Cup, everybody in this country will be watching and chanting “USA!!! USA!!!”