IRVINE, Calif. – Sebastian Berhalter spoke about dreams turned reality when he was named to the United States' 2026 FIFA World Cup roster last month.

He recalled in wonder how he’d been in the friends and family section in Qatar four years ago in support of his father Gregg, then the program’s head coach – a short but significant distance removed from the players wearing the country’s colors.

It still felt stubbornly “surreal” when his own World Cup baptism arrived last Friday, dad and the rest of the family watching on proudly.

“Yeah, it was ridiculous,” Berhalter told MLSsoccer.com after the Yanks’ 4-1 demolishing of Paraguay, where he made his World Cup debut as a second-half substitute for Christian Pulisic.

“Even before the game, I just kept chuckling to myself, like, what the hell is going on? Literally, I couldn't believe it.”

Sebastian and Gregg Berhalter become just the second father-son duo to represent the USMNT at a FIFA World Cup 🇺🇸👏

A special moment for the Berhalter family ❤️ pic.twitter.com/W45ZWw7UwY

— Golazo America (@GolazoAmerica) June 13, 2026

Full circle

Four days on from that pinch-me moment, which made the Berhalter boys the 28th father-son duo in history to take the World Cup stage, he spoke to reporters again at the USMNT’s base camp in Orange County as they prepare for another monumental occasion this Friday: A duel with Australia in Seattle for the top spot in Group D (3 pm ET | FOX, Telemundo, Peacock).

“Going up to see my family and seeing how happy they were for me, four years ago I was in the stands waiting for my pops to come up, and now they're waiting for me,"  reflected the Vancouver Whitecaps FC midfielder. 

"So it's pretty special, and just to have that moment with them was amazing.”

It’s quite a come-up, especially given that Berhalter was already 21 when he attended those matches in and around Doha, and up to that point had shown little to no sign of being a World Cup-level player. He’d only ever gotten invited to one youth national team camp, and there he was told he wasn’t good enough – a powerful source of motivation for the then-teenager.

Even more potent: Hearing a similar message from his father two years ago, a poignant moment the two shared in FIFA’s ‘Letters That Unite’ video series.

Career explosion

Since then, Berhalter’s career trajectory has taken a dramatic upward turn, as he became the tireless dynamo at the heart of a rejuvenated Whitecaps side who reached both the MLS Cup and Concacaf Champions Cup finals in 2025, attracting the close attention of Gregg’s USMNT successor, Mauricio Pochettino.

Poch offered Berhalter an opportunity to show he had international pedigree at the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, and he responded not merely with relentless effort, but a touch of class in his passing range, particularly on set pieces. In hindsight, the Yanks’ run to that tournament’s final proved a key stepping stone to the World Cup.

“From day one he believed in me, and I don't think you get that a lot from a coach, especially with his quality,” Berhalter said of Pochettino.

“Going to the Gold Cup, we spoke, and we had a conversation, and he just said, ‘I saw something in you before, playing in Vancouver.’ And that's all I can ask for: a coach that believes in you, and he's been amazing with me.

“He just believed in me, and wanted me to get better, and pushed me, knowing when to be harder on me.”

Proud 🥹 pic.twitter.com/bi8mKR5LeR

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 13, 2026

Glue guy

Over time, the younger Berhalter won over his teammates, too. The USMNT veterans, who initially knew him as the coach’s kid, have come to respect the same attributes that charmed Poch.

“He was obviously more of a fan at the last World Cup. It's amazing to see his rise over the past few years, and what he set out to do and achieve,” noted his midfield colleague Tyler Adams on Tuesday. “That's through his discipline. When you see how he shows up every single day for training, it's no surprise that he's here."

“Tenacity,” said Adams when asked what Berhalter’s brought to the table. “Seb’s a glue guy. He's one of those guys that, every single day in training, he competes at a super high level, and he's improved so much as a player, and I think that's shown, obviously not only just in MLS, but since he's come into the fold into the national team. Because he sees where he wants to go, what his ambitions are, and how he wants to improve.”

Against Paraguay, Berhalter learned he would be entering the match fairly late in the halftime break, “probably 30 seconds before I came in,” he said, when it was decided that Pulisic would be withdrawn after taking a hard challenge in an area of his leg which was already sore from a previous knock.

“I was like, all right, let's go,” he recalled. “Sometimes it's better because you don't think about it, you know? You're just ready to go in.”

Tasked with managing a 3-0 lead, Berhalter had to find the right balance of steel and smarts as he picked up the pace of the game. After a few mislaid passes, he came to grips with the assignment, one he hopes the USMNT will be successful enough for him to reprise in the days to come.

“Whatever role I need to play is the role I'm willing to play,” he said. “If it's not starting, starting, coming at halftime, whatever it is, I'll be ready.”

Here's how Group D stands after the first match. 👀 pic.twitter.com/cLCXckocYZ

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 14, 2026

Seattle street fight

Australian media have built a narrative of disrespect around Friday’s clash, seizing upon a few stray remarks from US pundits who’ve denigrated the Socceroos as a limited side who they consider easy pickings for the Yanks.

Yet the USMNT have gone to some lengths to praise their Aussie adversaries this week, and say they’re bracing for a street fight, just like the ruggedly physical affair that unfolded in a friendly last year at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, home of the Colorado Rapids.

“I mean, you saw it was tough for Türkiye, obviously – they had a hard time breaking them down,” said Berhalter, referencing the Socceroos’ 2-0 upset of Türkiye in Vancouver. “They were really good. I love the way they defended, honestly. They were a group, they were a unit, and they gave everything they had, and it worked.

“So, it's going to be a great game. They're going to fight, and you like teams that have that brotherhood; you like teams that when you go against them, you can see they're hungry, that they want to fight. Because it makes you raise your level that much more.”