Several USMNT players, including Sebastian Berhalter, did a good job of raising their international profile at the World Cup. Folarin Balogun, Alex Freeman, Malik Tillman, and Berhalter all did a really good job (especially relative to expected roles coming in), and it surely caught the attention of some clubs bigger than the players’ current teams.
Balogun was immediately the subject of some really interesting transfer rumors, and Freeman, since he just transferred before the World Cup, is likely to land at an even bigger club as soon as possible. Berhalter might not sound like he belongs in that group since he’s an MLS midfielder who primarily came off the bench. Now, though, he’s off to England.
Middlesborough Spends $2 Million on Vancouver Whitecaps’ Sebastian Berhalter
Sebastian Berhalter. Folarin Balogun. Malik Tillman. Alex Freeman. These players performed much better than initially anticipated for the USMNT at the World Cup, and to varying degrees, they are all reaping the benefits. Perhaps none more so than Berhalter.
The overlooked midfielder was not expected to contribute much at all to the team. He was having a good season for the Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS, but that’s not saying a whole lot on the global scale of the sport. Now, after having a really surprising World Cup run, he’s off to England.
According to Tom Bogert of The Athletic, Middlesbrough has paid a $2 million transfer fee for Berhalter. Vancouver knew the American midfielder was headed elsewhere when his contract expires in a few months, so they nabbed some money for the player before he could go.
Berhalter, son of former USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter, was a pleasant surprise for the Americans at the World Cup. He made one start against Turkey, and he made the most of it. He had an assist on the corner in the third minute that led to Auston Trusty’s first international goal, then he equalized with a thunderous goal from outside the box in the 49th minute.
He also appeared in every single match for the USMNT. Berhalter came on in the second half against Belgium and breathed a bit of life into the attack. He nearly beat Thibaut Courtois from outside the box in that game and generally looked like the only active player once the Americans fell behind by two goals.
In the MLS, Berhalter has been a standout and an impressive story. He was signed for $50,000 by Vancouver- the lowest a player can be signed for under MLS rules. Last season, Berhalter was named to the MLS Best XI in 2025, and he was an All-Star alongside Lionel Messi and Tim Ream in 2026.
He scored five goals and chipped in 13 assists across all competitions last season, leading the Whitecaps to the Canadian Championship title. He also got the team to the MLS Cup final and the CONCACAF Champions Cup final. He has now completed the rise of an MLS player by going from unknown to a USMNT player who is now playing in Europe.
He now joins fellow American midfielder Aidan Morris at Middlesbrough. Morris and Berhalter are close friends and former youth teammates with the Columbus Crew. Middlesbrough currently resides in the Championship, the league just below the Premier League in England.
After finishing three points shy of promotion to the Premier League, Middlesbrough could be on the way up after this season. With Berhalter in tow, they might have just enough to sneak over the top and get into the Prem, which would be excellent development for both Morris and Berhalter, who could be key fixtures for the USA in the next few years.
