By OkayGoal
It’s been nonstop for Sebastian Berhalter since the calendar turned to 2026 and that’s exactly how he likes it.
Berhalter is continuing his early months at English second-tier side Middlesbrough, helping the club to a current first place spot in the EFL Championship. Following 18 appearances with the Vancouver Whitecaps earlier this year, and nine additional outings for the U.S. Men’s National Team, Berhalter embarked overseas for a new chapter in his career.
The schedule hasn’t stopped for Berhalter, who has made 18 combined appearances for club and country since the 2026-27 season began last August. Although there hasn’t been much of a rest for Berhalter, he’s enjoyed the opportunity of playing week in and week out, especially for a club with high aspiriations.
“I feel good,” Berhalter told SBI. “There wasn’t too much of a break [after the World Cup], but I feel like I’ve been ready for this. I feel ready to take on this load and ready to perform at a high level, even though it’s been a lot of games. I’m enjoying it. It’s the best thing when you’re playing a lot so it’s been good.
“It was a club that over the last two years I’ve watched a lot not only because of Aidan but also because the coach had them playing an attractive style of football that I enjoy,” Berhalter added. “Obviously Aidan being here and telling me about the club and all the great traditions in their history helped and what it can do for my career. This team has a chance to get promoted and that’s my ultimate goal, to come here and help the team get promoted.”
Berhalter’s move to Middlesbrough has not only led to an immediate role in the squad, but a connection with several international teammates.
Aidan Morris is in his third season with Middlesbrough after previously teaming up with Berhalter at MLS side Columbus Crew, while Max Arfsten joined Berhalter this past summer after both were part of the USMNT picture over the past year-and-a-half. Rokas Pukstas is one of the newer faces at the club and although him and Berhalter haven’t had much time on the field together, they’ve continued forming a strong bond.
Berhalter values the chemistry he has with his three fellow Americans, knowing it’s benefitted his adjustment in England.
“It’s been great, we hang out all the time which is nice,” Berhalter said. “Max lives across the street from me, so it’s really nice. Rocky’s [Rokas] been great. He’s a great kid. He works his ass off and he just wants to learn. He wants to take everything in and use it and it’s great to be around someone like that, that’s just a sponge, 24-7. With Max, I feel like we spent last year together, being together in the summer and then going straight to Middlesbrough together. It’s been pretty cool and now he’s one of my best friends and it’s really special to have a relationship with him.
“And then Aidan’s been great,” Berhalter added. “He’s helped all of us settle and tell us where to go and where not to go. Playing with your best friends is amazing. We have so many fun moments on and off the field so yeah we’ve been doing great. Everyone’s been doing a good job and now it’s just about for us to keep going. It’s made it so much easier. We have each others backs and you know Aidan’s already been through a lot so we kind of lean on him when we’re going through anything.”
Berhalter didn’t have to wait long to see the field for Middlesbrough, a testament to Kim Hellberg’s early trust in him.
The 25-year-old set up Middlesbrough’s winning goal on his debut, logging 90 minutes in a 1-0 EFL Cup first round victory over Wrexham. Arfsten also made his club debut in the result, with both players receiving a standing ovation from the home fans at the Riverside Stadium at the final whistle.
Berhalter relished the moments of his opening night performance, admitting that he wanted to prove he belonged immediately.
“It was amazing,” Berhalter said about his debut against Wrexham. “Thinking back to that game, it was a fun game. It was my first real competitive game where I was playing in Europe so I couldn’t believe it for a bit and then it was getting into work. Just playing and enjoying it and trying to do what I do and use my strengths to help the team win. It was definitely a great game to play in.”
13 appearances later and Berhalter has added two goals and one additional assist under his belt, as he closes in on 1,000 minutes played.
Middlesbrough’s only league defeat of the season came against Blackburn Rovers back on August 22, but since then, they have surged up the league table. Hellberg’s men have yet to lose at home this season, while also taking a modest 11 out of 18 available points on the road in EFL Championship action.
Berhalter has been pleased with the team’s start through 12 matches, but knows there is still a long way to go in the promotion race this season.
“We have the belief and I think it’s just about taking it one game at a time and not look too far ahead,” Berhalter said. “Our coach prepares us really well that we’re not looking too far ahead, and we’re just really focused on the task that’s in front of us. I think everyone’s in good spirits and ready to just keep pushing.”
The EFL Championship is still considered as one of the more grueling leagues in Europe due to its 45-match season schedule and plenty of multiple-match weeks. Middlesbrough’s involvement in the EFL Cup earlier this fall led to several weeks where they were playing three matches in a seven-to-eight day span.
Despite their elimination to Crystal Palace in early-September, Middlesbrough’s league schedule has continued to push forward, with a frantic holiday period still on the horizon this December-January.
A busy calendar is nothing new though for Berhalter, who played several multi-match weeks with the Whitecaps and believes that has helped him prepare for the EFL’s congested schedule.
“I think it’s similar to that sense,” Berhalter said about the multi-match week schedules. “I feel like we played a lot of three-game weeks in Vancouver, especially last year. I think it’s different here as an intensity thing because it just means so much to the people, to the players, and that it’s life or death, promotion- relegation. Everyone feels like it’s fighting for our lives every game and I think it’s fun to be a part of.”
Prior to Berhalter’s move to England, his productive run with the Whitecaps over multiple seasons propelled him into the USMNT picture in 2025. USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino rewarded Berhalter with his senior debut at the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup and it’s led to the thriving midfielder earning 22 caps and scoring four goals to date.
Berhalter made his FIFA World Cup debut last summer on home turf and helped the Americans reach the Round of 16 before an eventual 4-1 loss to Belgium. Despite the USMNT’s frustrating exit, Berhalter was one of several players who impressed at the World Cup, as the program itself received major support around the country.
Berhalter credited Pochettino’s impact on him and the support from the USMNT fanbase, knowing how important both parties have been in his role within the squad.
“He’s been awesome,” Berhalter said about Pochettino. “He’s given me every opportunity to succeed and I’ve been trying to reward him by being myself, being a good person, and then also just being a good player and to try to help the team win. I can’t thank him enough for everything he’s done for me in my career so far and I’m super excited that he re-signed. We just want to keep going and turn this into a real soccer nation that people are are afraid of, and one that opponents don’t want to play against. He’s done a great job and hopefully I get to play for the national team many more times. That’s the goal.
“We felt a lot of love from the fans and the support of people who’d never watched soccer before so that was the coolest thing to see the whole nation really revolve around our team for three-to-four weeks, it was awesome,” he added. “Just seeing the impact it made on the U.S. in general, seeing people starting to understand soccer, what it means, and how great of a sport it is was pretty cool.”
Berhalter has remained a key figure in the USMNT squad since the World Cup, playing in all four of the squad’s friendlies during the extended September-October window. He scored two goals and added two assists as the Americans defeated Chile, Peru, Mexico, and Canada over a three-week period.
In addition, 13 new faces made their senior international debuts, including several young MLS talents such as Cavan Sullivan, Julian Hall, Peyton Miller, and Justin Ellis. Berhalter enjoyed working with the next crop of U.S. talent, knowing how vital they can be to the growth of the program.
“We enjoyed it,” Berhalter said. “It was fun which I think was the biggest thing. Being with all the young guys and trying to understand their personalities and what they can bring. We had a good time and I think that was the coolest thing to just meet these guys who had been balling out in MLS and have them come into our group and help them succeed. It was a great time and it was great to get four victories.
“It’s very exciting that we have a good crop of players coming through and that makes me excited to be part of this team and play for this country,” Berhalter added. “It shows that we’re evolving and the type of players that are coming through are really smart players, there’s a lot of them and I’m sure there’s still a lot more to come. We have a real youth presence and the guys feel good knowing they’ve helped the group in a positive way. It’s pretty cool.”
As Berhalter prepares himself for potential USMNT duty this November, he remains fortunate to have a great supporting cast that he can also call family.
Berhalter’s father Gregg was part of two USMNT World Cup rosters and also played in MLS and abroad as a professional. He later served as the program’s head coach on two separate occasions and is currently in the same role with the Chicago Fire in MLS while also serving as Director of Football.
Berhalter’s mother Rosalind, also excelled at soccer, winning four NCAA National Championships at the University of North Carolina.
Having both of his parents in his corner is something that Berhalter is grateful for, knowing they both can help in a multitude of ways.
“I’m so lucky to have someone like him [Gregg] in my corner,” Berhalter said. “He has been through everything that I am going through, probably two times. He’s seen all the world and had that experience as a player and then can also help me as a coach and even a General Manager to really help me make my best decision.
“I can’t obviously thank him enough, I’m so lucky to have him as my dad and my mom as the rock and someone that will always support me in anything I ever need,” he added. ”Between them, I’m in a good spot and pretty fortunate.”
Berhalter’s focus will stay on Middlesbrough, especially with three matches left until the November international break and 13 remaining in 2026. A packed Championship schedule means that a positive run of form could do wonders for Middlesbrough’s promotion fight while a few hiccups could prove costly as they enter the new year.
Berhalter knows that there will be several teams chasing Middlesbrough, including the likes of recently relegated Premier League sides West Ham United and Wolves, but staying locked in gives them the best chance of achieving their goal.
“We’re trying to stay consistent,” Berhalter said. “I think in England, I’ve noticed that people start to get a little crazy because they’ve been there or they’ve seen the other side of it. For us, it’s about keeping our calm and understanding that we’re a good team so we don’t have to panic in certain moments. That we keep together and keep doing things that we’re taught to do, that our coaches instilled in us. “We’re super locked in and driven to keep doing what we’ve been doing, which is taking it one game a time.”