Few things illustrate the differences between us and the rest of the world like soccer. We are almost unique in our lack of interest in the world’s most popular sport. A couple of your friends might like it, of course, but most are just bored by it.

At least, that’s the stereotype. Soccer still doesn’t receive the attention that heavyweight sports like football or basketball enjoy, but it’s definitely no longer ignored. Ohio State is a great place to observe this trend.

Take a quick look around on a nice day and you’ll see any number of your peers sporting jerseys on their way to class. Lots of these will be for football or basketball teams, but a great and growing number are jerseys from the great soccer clubs of Europe. You’ll also see some for the Columbus Crew, the local MLS club that impresses all on its own.

It was only a matter of time before the skill, grit, flair and tactics of the “beautiful game” were appreciated stateside. But if you’re still a skeptic who’s reluctant to sit through a game featuring mostly foreigners you don’t care much about, there are other good reasons to watch.

The World Cup, the premier international event in soccer (and arguably all sports), is being held this June in South Africa. So far, more than 100,000 tickets have been sold in America, the most of any country other than the host. That’s a very impressive number, considering that in its history, Team USA has only once reached the quarterfinals.

Those sales are likely driven by expectations. As recently as last summer, the U.S. beat Spain 2-0. Spain was ranked first in the world and was on a 35-game unbeaten streak. We then barely lost to soccer powerhouse Brazil, 3-2, having led 2-0 at halftime.

This should show that the U.S. isn’t the pushover it once was. The team wasn’t playing for very high stakes, but any time opponents of that quality have problems, it’s a sign you’re doing things right. Many of our players play abroad and are used to excellent soccer.

We’re still underdogs, but we’re underdogs with a fighting chance. Having struggled even to qualify in the past, some are picking us for a possible run deep into the knock-out round of this World Cup.

If the chance to see America square off against some smug foreigners doesn’t entice you (the U.S.’s first match is against England), there’s another great reason to watch. This is the first World Cup in Africa, a source of pride throughout the continent.

Countries like Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Ghana and Nigeria have excellent players and rabid fan bases. For them, it’s not just bragging rights but national dignity that’s at stake. After watching the way they experience the game, it will be a lot more difficult for someone to say that soccer is still boring.