When Mauricio Pochettino took over in 2024 as head coach of the U.S. men's national team, Sebastian Berhalter — the son of the coach that Pochettino replaced — was a bench player for the 14th-place team in MLS and far off the USMNT radar.

Fast forward to 2026, and Berhalter is a starter for Premier League promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough and coming off a World Cup where he was the first USMNT player to record a goal and assist in a World Cup match.

He thanks Pochettino for spring-boarding his soccer career.

Just as Pochettino is set to leave the USMNT to take over as manager for Manchester United, Berhalter was asked about playing under Pochettino. He offered high praise to the coach who saw his potential so early on.

Berhalter said:

"He believed in me before I set foot on the field. The way I play and the way I try to carry myself. I think he just said, 'It doesn't matter what you're doing on the field, these are already right things.' And to be honest, I can't thank him enough ... I think I say it every time that he's meant so much to me. And he's helped me develop as a player and a person. As a player, that's all you can ask for. To have that trust and to have that belief in you."

Despite Pochettino's imminent departure, he reportedly will still coach the USMNT in both legs of the CONCACAF Nations League against Haiti on Saturday and Tuesday.