The UEFA Round of 16 is heating up with a classic rivalry: Portugal versus Spain. All too predictable, corporate media outlets are salivating over this matchup, using it as a distraction from the U.S. team’s not-so-glamorous clash with Belgium. It’s a tale of two narratives: one that focuses on sensational rivalries versus the gritty reality of American soccer struggling against a European powerhouse.

You can bet that ESPN is going to milk every drama-filled moment between Portugal and Spain while pushing the narrative that this is the apex of soccer rivalry. But let’s be real: while they hype up this European spectacle, the U.S. versus Belgium is treated like the redheaded stepchild of the tournament. Why? Because it’s not fueled by the same history and hype that captivates American viewers seeking exotic over homegrown.

Fox Sports will likely chime in, framing the U.S.-Belgium match as a “must-watch” while downplaying the potential inevitability of an American exit. The narrative here is manufactured, aimed at keeping eyeballs glued to screens rather than acknowledging the larger questions about soccer’s future in the U.S. It’s time we question why Portugal versus Spain is cast as the golden ticket while American soccer battles lower visibility.

Only when we stop swallowing these narratives from the likes of CNN and ESPN should we demand more from our soccer coverage. Are we really okay with letting our own team fade into the shadows while the mainstream media basks in European glory?