If you're a sports fan of any variety, you have more likely than not tuned into at least a game or two of this year's World Cup.
If you're from the United States, that has likely included tuning into the US Men's National Team run through the tournament. It ended on Monday night after an abysmal showing against Belgium, resulting in a 4-1 loss for Team USA.
If you watched the collapse by the USMNT and you're a college football fan, specifically a Texas Longhorns fan, a pre-tournament comparison of World Cup nations and college football teams will give you the laugh of a lifetime.
The Next Round, a weekly podcast about college football and, specifically, the SEC, compared 22 collegiate football programs to countries in the FIFA World Cup. Fittingly, the site compared Texas's in-state rivals, the Texas A&M Aggies, to none other than the United States.
World Cup Country - College Football Team Equivalents
— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) June 18, 2026
From legendary blue bloods to surprising cinderellas, we broke down how the soccer world matches up with college football programs. pic.twitter.com/oAbXwfrVQJ
"Peak historic success dates back to the 1930s. Possess unlimited money, talent, and resources, yet struggles to put it all together," comparing the Aggies to the USMNT.
Monday night was the epitome of a team struggling to put it all together. In fact, the Round of 16 loss for the United States was virtually the perfect metaphor for the Aggies' choking against the Miami Hurricanes in the first round of last season's College Football Playoff.
Texas A&M compared to the US Men's National Team is a perfect metaphor
Texas A&M had finally made it to the Playoff and was hosting a home game against the Canes. The US men had finally returned to the Round of 16 and were hosting the World Cup on their own turf, playing Belgium in Seattle.
The Aggies lost 10-3, scoring just one field goal against Belgium. The USMNT lost 4-1, scoring just one free-kick goal against Belgium.
Feel like I just watched every big Texas A&M football game ever
— Barstool SEC (@SECBarstool) July 7, 2026
Simply put, the US Men's National Team embodied everything that the Texas A&M Aggies have been in recent years, and it made the initial comparison even more hilarious for Longhorn fans. Not to mention that the Horns were compared to a team that was able to advance to the quarterfinals.
"Always burdened with massive media hype, but historically tends to underdeliver when it matters most," comparing Texas to England.
England knocked out Mexico in a 3-2 win in the Round of 16 to advance to the quarterfinals, just like Texas secured postseason wins in the 2025 College Football Playoff (over the Clemson Tigers and the Arizona State Sun Devils).
Additionally, another rival of the Horns earned a less-than-ideal comparison. The Oklahoma Sooners were matched up with the Swedish national team, a team that was shut out by France in the Round of 32.
"The model of high-level consistency. They boast a top-tier historical record and are a safe bet to dominate their regional schedules, but they are still fighting to cross the finish line for a modern championship," comparing Oklahoma to Sweden.
Of course, you could easily compare Sweden's shut-out loss and elimination at the hands of France to the Sooners' inability to score a touchdown against the Longhorns, a streak that has now broken past 1,000 days.
Also read: Settling the debate between the Lone Star Showdown and the Red River Rivalry
Ultimately, the FIFA World Cup has absolutely nothing to do with college football. However, at the height of summer, with the CFB season still more than a month away from kicking off, it sure is fun to make the connections.
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