VANCOUVER 鈥� Sebastian Berhalter wants to stay 鈥渓evel headed鈥� when the Vancouver Whitecaps face a Chicago Fire team coached by his father in a Major League Soccer match Saturday.
鈥淥bviously it鈥檚 pretty special seeing your dad on the sideline,鈥� the 23-year-old midfielder said after training this week. 鈥淵ou treat it as another game. Just go out and do what I do.鈥�
Gregg Berhalter, Chicago鈥檚 head coach and director of football, said the game will be 鈥渁 fun moment鈥� but admitted it鈥檚 sometimes hard to separate being a father from a coach.
鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of funny when you鈥檙e scouting the opponent, watching games, and you (think) 鈥榯hat鈥檚 a nice little midfielder鈥� and it happens to be your son,鈥� said the former head coach of the U.S. men鈥檚 national team.
鈥淚t鈥檚 still a moment where we want to win, and I know he wants to win, so something has got to give.鈥�
Being a coach鈥檚 son can be challenging but Sebastain Berhalter praised his father for the guidance he offered.
鈥淗e was very hands off growing up,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t kind of led me to have that motivation for myself and I鈥檓 forever grateful for that.
鈥淗e always knew the right thing to say. Sometimes it was being really hard and kind of putting me in my place a little bit. Sometimes it was consoling or just praising. He鈥檚 always known what buttons to press.鈥�
It鈥檚 not the first time in MLS history a coach and son have played each other.
Bob Bradley was head coach of LAFC when his son Michael played for Toronto FC in 2018 and 2019.
Sebastain Berhalter was a member of the 2020 Columbus Crew that won the MLS championship then spent 2021 with the FC Austin. He joined the Whitecaps in 2022 and has steadily improved his game.
鈥淚鈥檓 thankful for Vancouver taking a chance on me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 was kind of finding my feet. It鈥檚 been a pleasure the last four years.鈥�
In his fourth year in Vancouver, Berhalter has played an important role in the team鈥檚 early-season success. He is the only Whitecaps player to start all eight games, has logged the most minutes at 639, and leads the team in key passes with nine, as well as successful crosses with eight.
First year Vancouver coach Jesper Sorensen said Berhalter is already willing to learn and adapt to the situation.
鈥淪ebastian is very capable of processing the information he gets and then actually acting upon it,鈥� said Sorensen. 鈥淗e鈥檚 always in good shape and he鈥檚 a guy that鈥檚 curious and always wants to learn new stuff and wants to improve himself.
Gregg Berhalter has watched his son鈥檚 progression.
鈥淚鈥檓 definitely proud of him,鈥� he said. 鈥淭o watch closely what type of player he has become is really nice. I know it鈥檚 down to hard work and his mindset.鈥�
Vancouver (4-0-0) hopes to keep making history against Chicago (2-1-1) at BC Place Stadium.
The Whitecaps have already won four straight MLS games for the first time in franchise history. Their win over CF Monterrey was the first time the team advanced past a Mexican club in CONCACAF Champions Cup play.
Vancouver will have a depleted roster for the game with seven players either hurt or called up for international duty.
鈥淲e鈥檒l have to find almost a new team,鈥� said Sorensen. 鈥淲e have a lot of players . . . so we鈥檒l figure out how we will do it. It鈥檚 a test of the squad. Nobody has let anybody down.鈥�
Gregg Berhalter said Vancouver has proven the quality of its depth this season.
鈥淓ven when they rotate players . . . they still have been able to play a good game,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he collective is very strong. A lot of those players have been playing together for many years.
鈥淚鈥檓 sure they鈥檙e going to want to get a home win and we鈥檙e going to have to do something about it.鈥�
The game will be a family affair on the pitch and in the stands. Sebastian鈥檚 mother, sister and grandparents will be attending.
So which team will the family be cheering for?
鈥淭hat鈥檚 for them to decide,鈥� said Sebastian.
CHICAGO FIRE (2-1-1) at VANCOUVER WHITECAPS (4-0-0)
BC Place Stadium, Saturday 7:30 p.m. PDT
CALL OF DUTY: Whitecaps called up for international duty include midfielders Ali Ahmed (Canada) Pedro Vite (Ecuador), Andres Cubas (Paraguay) and forward Brian White (U.S.)
INJURY REPORT: Forward Ryan Gauld (knee) and defender Sam Adekugbe (quad strain) will not dress. Forward Emmanuel Sabbi (ankle) trained this week but is questionable.
FULL PARTICIPATION: Playing eight games across all competitions in 24 days the Whitecaps have 20 different players who have earned at least one start.
SCORING BY COMMITTEE: 10 different players have scored for the Whitecaps this year.
GOALS FOR: Heading into the weekend, the nine goals Vancouver has scored in MLS play is best in the Western Conference and tied with Miami for second overall.
GOALS AGAINST: The Whitecaps, San Diego and Austin are the only teams to allow just two goals. Vancouver has not conceded a goal in 231 minutes of MLS play and allowed a league best seven shots on target.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 21, 2025.
Jim Morris, The Canadian Press
