Sebastian Berhalter turned 5 years old one month before Germany hosted the 2006 World Cup. His father, Gregg Berhalter, was a defender on the USA squad that headquartered in Hamburg.
Coach Bruce Arena allowed players’ families to stay at the same hotel, on a different floor.
“I remember running around the hotel,” Sebastian Berhalter said. “I remember collecting the Panini stickers. I didn’t totally understand what was going on, but I could feel the magnitude and understood how important it was to my family and everyone there.”
In 2022, Sebastian attended the World Cup in Qatar at which his father coached the USA.
“Being at the 2022 World Cup and still being young, 21 years old, and seeing those guys perform,” he said, “and put up performances like against England [0-0], showing Americans can play soccer. Between those two it kind of made me believe that I can be there and this country can do it.”
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