Sebastian Berhalter's journey to the 2026 World Cup is a testament to perseverance and belief. In 2024, his father, Gregg Berhalter, then the U.S. men's national team coach, told him he wasn't good enough for the national team. At the time, Sebastian was a fringe starter for the Vancouver Whitecaps. But instead of discouraging him, Gregg's honesty became a driving force for Sebastian's rise.

Sebastian recalls the moment he learned he made the World Cup roster: 'My dad was just so proud. He’s not the most emotional guy, but I could tell, he was so proud of me.' Moments later, he was on the phone with his mother, Rosalind, and both started crying. They were proud because Sebastian earned his place through hard work and determination.

Sebastian's journey was not easy. At 16, he was 5-foot-10, 110 pounds, and told by a coach he wasn't good enough. But he used that as motivation, spending hours in the basement honing his skills. During the 2020 lockdown, Gregg wrote workout plans for Sebastian, and they trained relentlessly in Chicago. 'He tried to push me until I was breaking,' Sebastian says. 'But I never broke.' He embraced exhaustion as an advantage, believing he could outlast opponents.

Sebastian's work ethic has made him a standout in the U.S. team. Coach Mauricio Pochettino praises his intensity: 'He’s a monster.' Sebastian's rise from a Whitecaps reserve to a World Cup player is a story of resilience. 'He did this all on his own,' Gregg says, proud that his son earned his spot without any favoritism.