The no-brainer Sebastian Berhalter decision is making itself for Mauricio Pochettino
By Noah Guttman
Berhalter is a name that is associated (for good and for not so good reasons) with the United States' emergence as a footballing nation.
Many will think of Gregg Berhalter, who most notably served as the United States men's national team's manager from 2018 to 2024 (with a brief hiatus during 2023).
During his tenure, Gregg built a youth-focused lineup that serves as the backbone for today's USMNT lineup. That roster was responsible for getting the United States back to the World Cup in 2022, where they would qualify for the last 16 courtesy of a second-place finish in a group that included England, Iran, and Wales.
His wife Rosalind was also involved in the sport, having played for the University of North Carolina's women's soccer program while also winning four national titles.
But over the past half-year, midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, one of four children raised by Gregg and Rosalind, has made a name for himself at both the domestic and international level.
Sebastian Berhalter deserves a World Cup invitation this summer
Having previously played for Columbus Crew and Austin FC, making just 27 combined appearances across two seasons of play, Sebastian Berhalter was traded to the Vancouver Whitecaps in the lead-up to the 2022 MLS season.
Despite a limited impact through his first three seasons in Vancouver, Berhalter's playing time increased significantly in 2025. His total goal contributions in 2025 (18) were more than double those of his 2024 season, while his 54% shot conversion ratio represented a career high for that stat category. Through his first eight games in 2026, Berhalter has recorded three goals and five assists while also recording four shots on target.
But his impact for the Whitecaps can be felt both on offense and on defense. During the extra time period of a second-round tie with LAFC in last year's MLS Cup Playoffs, Berhalter - having switched to right back to help accommodate the fact that Vancouver was down two players - helped his Whitecaps defend a relentless LAFC attack.
Much of the 12-minute period spent on the defensive saw Berhalter responsible for marking winger Denis Bouanga and making several key interventions that kept Bouanga from scoring the winner; he also won an aerial tackle that ended LAFC's last attack and sent the match to penalties.
At the international level, Berhalter earned 11 appearances for the USMNT during 2025 and 2026. Five of those appearances came during the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup, all of which were starts; Berhalter would record two assists during his country's run to the final of that competition, which the United States lost 2-1 to Mexico. He would record his first goal for the national team during a 5-1 win over Uruguay in 2025.
With the youth that the USMNT fielded during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, entering a home World Cup with a tournament's worth of experience under their belts, another infusion of youth could be a huge boon for a national team that is only starting to make its mark on the world stage. Berhalter would undoubtedly be at the forefront of such an influx, and his growth in Vancouver shows he can be an asset on both ends of the pitch.
Should he continue to make a sustained impact for the Whitecaps in MLS play, he could very well be thrust into the squad that Mauricio Pochettino fields when the USMNT open the World Cup in Los Angeles.