Perhaps you saw the U.S. is the fifth-ranked team on the planet entering the World Cup.

More likely is that a lot of people don't know the World Cup opens today or that the U.S. begins play Monday in Germany. A show of hands, please, of all those who can name the U.S.'s opening opponent. Any scheduled opponent?

That's what we thought. After all, when this country was actually hosting the World Cup in 1994, a Harris poll said it was news to 71 percent of the population.

So, yes, you could say World Cup fever is something of an acquired, if not late-to-arrive, taste on these shores, even now.

And therein lies what you have to believe is the soccer world's worst fear. Not that hooligans will run amuck or announcers will go hoarse yelling "goooooolllllll!" But that the U.S. might actually overcome the considerable odds and win the quadrennial competition for the first time beating the world at its game while few here cared.

Between now and July 9, when the champion is crowned in Berlin, we will see all manner of national flags painted on the faces of obsessed fans. We will witness examples of the passion with which "the beautiful game" — as the true believers like to call it — has gripped the world.

We will hear how this is the most popular game in the world and a competition watched by billions. How countries put their armies on hold while their teams do battle. All notable and true.

But while Ronaldinho and his heavily favored Brazil team prepare to display their magic, the headlines here are just as likely to be about Jason Grimsley and human growth hormones. While the rest of the world hangs on headers and square passes, the overwhelming focus here is on Shaq battling Dirk Nowitzki, a German who uses his hands on the ball, not his feet.

Curiously in a land where we can work up a rooting interest in gymnastics, luge and platform diving in every Olympic cycle, the World Cup struggles to even find a quadrennial niche when we have a team trying to better its quarterfinal round showing of 2002.

Too bad, too, because you don't even have to understand what the rest of the world calls futbol to find compelling entertainment in the World Cup. It isn't necessary to know a yellow card from a touchline to get hooked on the dramas that surround and propel the play.

For this is an arena where everything — history, nationalism, economics — hovers over competition. Think the Yankees and Red Sox have a rivalry? That the Dodgers and Giants go way back? Imagine what goes into it when Poland and Germany meet Wednesday. Or, Portugal and Angola tomorrow.

It would be great if this country caught some of the World Cup fever because some day the U.S. might even win one. And, it would nice if we knew the difference from the Stanley Cup.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.