But if there’s anyone well-equipped to navigate such an arduous path, it’s Sebastian Berhalter. He is used to the challenge.
“I think we’ve been ready for this all season,” the 24-year-old said on Thursday. “The pressure that comes with it, it’s a privilege and it’s fun and I think the guys are going to lean into it and enjoy it.
“Home team, away team, I don’t think it matters.”
Long road
Since the start of his professional football journey, the Whitecaps star has had to chart his own path. The son of current Chicago Fire FC head coach and former USMNT manager Gregg Berhalter, the young midfielder’s name carries added weight and pressure in the world of American soccer.
His first two years as a professional proved difficult, as he failed to maintain a place with the Columbus Crew, where he had spent his academy years, or later on loan to Austin FC. The stress and struggle became so overwhelming that Berhalter had to give up the sport altogether.
Fast forward to early December 2025, and Berhalter finds himself in a position he might not even believe.
“I think it’s just a constant build every year of my career,” he said. “I don’t think it happened all at once. I think I had to work hard to get to where I am.
“So for me, it’s just a constant continuation of what I do every year, and now it’s nice to see it take the next step.”
Always learn
After nearly quitting the game, Berhalter refused to hang up his cleats, instead pulling his career from the ashes to embark on a spectacular renaissance.
Their head coach, Jesper Sørensen, is certainly grateful that Berhalter, now in his fourth season with the Whitecaps, has continued his journey.
“When you have a player who is so committed to his football, to his career and to his development as a player, and so committed to his team and his teammates, then of course you always hope for the best for a player like that,” the Danish coach said.
“I think the steps he’s taken throughout this season, I think those are the steps he’s worked so hard for. He works every day, and I think Sebastian – it’s really easy for him to get advice. He wants to get all the information he can get, and he also wants to develop so much.”
Milestone year
Not only did Berhalter become a crucial part of Vancouver’s historic season, but he also earned MLS Best XI and MLS All-Star honors. But he won’t let this meteoric rise distract him from his ultimate goal: winning the club’s first-ever Philip F. Anschutz Trophy.
“It’s been a good year, but nine months ago we were sitting there with the friends in pre-season and we were saying, ‘Our goal is to win the MLS Cup.’ So that’s what we want to do here,” Berhalter said.
This excellent play has not only attracted the attention of fans, coaches and MLS experts. In May 2025, before the Concacaf Gold Cup, Berhalter was called up to the USMNT for the first time in his career.
As he did with the Whitecaps, Berhalter took his USMNT opportunity and didn’t give it back. He started five of the six Gold Cup matches and contributed two assists, including a superb free kick to help open the scoring in the tournament final.
His set-piece skill, passing ability and tenacious spirit have helped set him apart from head coach Mauricio Pochettino’s other midfield options as he fights for a coveted spot on the USMNT roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“I think he now has the confidence that he can play at a level, for example, for the United States men’s national team, where he has done very well,” Sørensen added. “Last time he scored a nice goal and left his mark on the game. I think sometimes it’s just little things that will take you to the next level, give you the confidence that you can play there, and I think Sebastian brought that.
“…I also hope he makes the U.S. team for the World Cup, but we have to understand that it’s not my decision. But I think he did really well, and I also think he can take his talent and his career even further.”
Rematch in Miami
Now in the MLS Cup on Saturday, Berhalter will face an Inter Miami team he knows well. This is the match where, for many, he broke through for the first time at the national level. During their Concacaf Champions Cup semi-final clashes earlier this year, Berhalter stood out among a litany of stars, scoring a goal in each game as the Caps cruised to a 5-1 aggregate victory.
“These two games give us the confidence that we can go out there and do a good job, compete, work hard and get the job done,” he said. “Two good games just gives us the belief that we can go out there and do it.”
But Berhalter knows better than anyone that the past is the past.
After an eventful 2025, Berhalter is ready for what will likely be the biggest game of his young career. But if his path to reaching this moment means anything, he’ll be up for the challenge.
“They [Miami] “We’re a little different team now than we were a few months ago,” Berhalter said. “For us, again, it shows that hard work and intensity is going to be our starting point. With those two things, I think there’s no reason why we can’t go out there and do what we do.
“We showed that if all the guys come and work 100%, everything will be fine.”
