Losing a monumental coaching position is brutal, but former USA head coach Gregg Berhalter has a way to keep supporting the team: his son.
Berhalter’s son, Sebastian Berhalter, is a midfielder for Team USA in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the former USA coach penned a heartfelt letter to his son, which was released Tuesday.
Berhalter wrote in his note to Sebastian:
“The World Cup is one of the rare moments when the entire world stops and watches. It’s a beautiful stage, but it’s also a privilege, one that most people will never know. Enjoy every second of it. Take in the anthem. Take in the pressure. Take in the joy of competing alongside your teammates and representing something bigger than yourself.Â
“Moments like this change your life forever.
“But no matter what happens on the field, I hope you will always remember this: I am proud of you because of who you are, not because of what you accomplish. You’ve stayed humble through all of it. You’ve stayed grounded. You’ve stayed kind. And you’ve become an incredible young man.Â
“You earned this. I love you.”
Berhalter also said that he admires how his son has “never taken anything for granted” and expressed how the two of them “get to share an experience that very few fathers and sons ever will.”
Regarding the former USA coach, Berhalter, who played for Team USA, had two stints as the club’s head coach: 2018-22 and 2023-24. His contract expired following the 2022 World Cup, which saw Team USA be eliminated in the Round of 16, with the federation opting to have interim head coaches before bringing back Berhalter in June 2023.
With that said, Berhalter was let go after Team USA failed to advance past pool play in 2024 Copa América; former Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino was hired as Team USA’s new head coach in Sept. 2024.
Berhalter has been the head coach of the Chicago Fire (MLS) since 2024.
The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup will be Sebastian Berhalter’s first time on a World Cup roster. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
As for the younger Berhalter, the 25-year-old is in his fifth season with the Vancouver Whitecaps (2022-26) and his seventh season in MLS altogether; he spent his 2020 rookie campaign with the Columbus Crew, who won the MLS Cup Championship in said year, and his second season with Austin FC (2021).
This season, Berhalter has registered six goals, four assists and knocked through one penalty kick. The Whitecaps sit atop the Western Conference at 10-2-2; the 2026 MLS season is currently paused due to the World Cup, with the season resuming on July 16.
The World Cup march commences for Berhalter and Team USA on Friday night, as it faces Paraguay at Los Angeles Stadium in Los Angeles, CA, which can be viewed at 9 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX One app.
