Sebastian Berhalter dominated every area of the pitch as the Vancouver Whitecaps dismantled Minnesota United 6-0 on Sunday afternoon at BC Place.
The American midfielder scored a goal and recorded two assists in the game at BC Place. He was easily named Man of the Match and, along with Brian White and Mathías Laborda, earned a place in the MLS Team of the Week.
It is clear that Berhalter is one of the best players on the Whitecaps. In fact, he quickly has become one of the best players in MLS.
As Berhalter’s fifth year as a Whitecap is underway, it’s remarkable how quickly he has risen in the last couple of seasons.
The Whitecaps took a chance on Berhalter, and it paid off.
Berhalter came through the Columbus Crew academy and even played one season with the University of North Carolina Tar Heels. He made his debut in the 2020 season, playing nine matches and starting four of them. The Crew won the MLS Cup that year, and it is easy to forget Berhalter was part of that team.
He spent the 2021 season on loan at Austin FC, making five starts in 18 appearances. It was clear that Berhalter wasn’t part of the plans for the Crew, so he was shipped off to Vancouver. Right before the 2022 MLS season began, the Whitecaps paid $50,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) and an additional $50,000 in GAM if certain conditions were met.
“Sebastian is a young player we’ve identified within the league who adds depth to our defensive midfield position as he brings high intensity in the press, strong work ethic and rates highly in defensive contributions,” said Whitecaps Sporting Director and CEO Axel Schuster after the trade.
It was clear Vancouver had taken a chance on a young player who had yet to unlock his potential. After all, $50,000 was chump change in MLS terms, and it was a low-risk, high-reward acquisition. It is safe to say that the high reward arrived, but it took some time.
Berhalter’s Slow and Steady Rise
In Berhalter’s first season with the Whitecaps, he was used as a depth player. The American midfielder made 11 starts out of 18 matches played. He was still raw, but his passing, vision and defensive work made him one to watch.
In 2023, Berhalter played 28 matches, but he only made 11 starts. Berhalter emerged as a key player off the bench and even scored his first MLS goal that year. He finished 2023 with two goals and four assists in all competitions.
2024 was the year that Berhalter fully established himself as a starter for the Whitecaps. Then-head coach Vanni Sartini used him in multiple positions: as a central and defensive midfielder, attacking midfielder, left midfielder, right midfielder and even as a right-back. But no matter where Berhalter played, he excelled. He was great at winning the ball, starting transitions and getting goal contributions.
2025 was Berhalter’s breakout year. Under new head coach Jesper Sørensen, he thrived. Berhalter even got called up to the US Men’s National Team for the first time and scored a screamer of a first international goal.
Along with White, Tristan Blackmon and Yohei Takaoka, Berhalter became an MLS All-Star and made the MLS Best XI with Blackmon. He was solid defensively, deadly on set pieces and scored some great goals.
It has been great to watch Berhalter’s rise. He went from thinking about quitting soccer in 2021 to one of MLS’s best midfielders and is eyeing a spot on the US 2026 World Cup team.
“Going to Austin, I didn’t have a lot of routines and processes,” said Berhalter on the MLS YouTube show Breakaway last September. “I was kind of just playing, and it was the first time in my career where I really looked around and thought, you know, I might be the worst player on the field right now. That was a reality check, a little bit. I almost wanted to quit soccer, because it was like, ‘This is terrible.’ I’m so thankful that Vancouver took a chance on me. “In Vancouver, I started to develop that consistency and those routines that made me feel who I am as a person.”
Berhalter was instrumental in the Whitecaps successful 2025 season, which saw them win the Canadian Championship for the fourth straight year and reach the MLS Cup and CONCACAF Champions Cup finals. He scored eight goals and tallied three assists in 47 matches across all competitions and was the Whitecaps player of the year.
So far in 2026, Berhalter has scored three goals and tallied two assists in all competitions. He isn’t showing any signs of slowing down.
Why Berhalter is one of the Whitecaps most important players
“He’s an important player for us because he’s in the middle of everything,” said Sørensen when asked about Berhalter after dismantling Minnesota on Sunday afternoon. “In…the way we play…he’s in the middle of how we build our play. He’s an important player for us in our set plays and a guy who has an amazing mentality. Of course, he can take further steps as a player; all players can. He also has the willingness to train and take those steps.”
Berhalter and Andres Cubas have formed a formidable midfield partnership. They are one of, if not the best, midfield duos in MLS. They just work so well together on the pitch. Cubas is the destroyer and tackler, Berhalter is the creator and roamer.
“I think we have a genuine friendship and we genuinely have each other’s backs,” said Berhalter on his partnership and chemistry with Cubas. “I haven’t had that connection with a lot of players. We’re always so happy for each other. He (Cubas) doesn’t get the credit he always deserves, as it is always about the goals and assists. He’s one of the best midfielders in the league. I’m so happy that I get to play with him, and he makes me so much better.”
While Cubas wins possession, Berhalter is the driving force in the midfield. He dictates tempo and flow. To put it in musical terms, Cubas is the bass, while Berhalter is the metronome.
Berhalter is great at making through balls, such as the assist on Emmanuel Sabbi’s goal on Sunday.
The 24-year-old is also known for making simple passes that help the team maintain possession and control the game. In Sørensen’s system, that is important. No matter the type of pass, Berhalter is poised and calm making them.
He and Cubas often play back passes to the centre-backs (such as Blackmon and Ralph Priso) to make the opponents move forward and create space. This way, Berhalter starts a quick transition, which is also a deadly part of Sørensen’s system.
Berhalter’s play off the ball has to be mentioned. He is great at pressing and tackling, and covering the middle and wide passing lanes. The man born in London, England, is excellent at reading the game.
He currently leads MLS in expected assists (1.8) and is tied for second in big chances created (four). In short, the Whitecaps have a midfield maestro. He took some time to develop, but the wait was worth it. Not bad for $50,000, too.
Will Berhalter still be a Whitecap after the World Cup?
Berhalter makes $385,000 per season and rightfully deserves a raise. However, his contract is up at the end of the year, and Europe could be calling, especially if he makes the US World Cup squad and does well.
Ideally, the Whitecaps would extend him, but surely, there is already interest from European clubs. It would be a great opportunity for Berhalter to take his talents to Europe and follow in the footsteps of his father Gregg, who played for a few European clubs, including Crystal Palace.
The Whitecaps should be doing all they can to convince Berhalter to stay in Vancouver. But if he wants to seek European pastures, he is more than welcome to. Plus, Vancouver could get a significant fee.
As good as Berhalter has been, his future with the Whitecaps is still unclear. Whitecaps fans should enjoy him while they can.
