Sebastian Berhalter brushes off WC roster reveal ‘pressure’
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Vancouver Whitecaps and United States midfielder Sebastian Berhalter stated the ultimate two weeks till the Americans’ World Cup roster is introduced “doesn’t feel like pressure.”
Berhalter, 25, scored the Whitecaps’ equalizer in a 1-1 draw in opposition to the Western Conference-leading San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday evening. The objective got here at an opportune time as US supervisor Mauricio Pochettino is about to announce his World Cup roster on May 26.
But Berhalter stated he is not feeling any further stress to carry out.
“I’m so grateful. A year ago, I didn’t even make my national team debut and now to be in this position is awesome,” he advised ESPN after Saturday’s match. “So for me, it doesn’t feel like pressure. It doesn’t feel like it’s something that I have to do or whatever.
“It’s simply such an honor. It’s such an honor to be a part of the group and if I get an opportunity to signify my nation at a house World Cup, it will imply the world. So for me, it is simply tremendous thrilling.”
While Berhalter was excited to contribute to Saturday’s result, he said he didn’t think that the goal would make that much of an impact in Pochettino’s final decision. Berhalter said that his body of work — 11 matches for the USMNT over the last 11 months — will be what gets him on the World Cup roster.
“I feel it is fairly already set,” Berhalter said about the coaching staff’s impressions of him. “I feel they know what they’ll anticipate. I imply, they know what they’ll get out of me. So for me, it is simply to provide my greatest and present that I deserve and one objective right here and there.
“I don’t know if it’s going to change too much, but yeah, for me it’s just about keeping doing what I do.”
Berhalter appeared to catch a break earlier this week with the information that Atlético Madrid midfielder Johnny Cardoso had suffered a sprained right ankle. No timetable was given for Cardoso’s return, however Berhalter expressed hope that Cardoso will get better in time.
The Whitecaps midfielder can be in a roster battle with the likes of the Seattle Sounders’ Cristian Roldan and Middlesbrough’s Aidan Morris.
“He’s such a nice guy, and to be honest, I hope he’s there,” Berhalter stated about Cardoso. “I hope he can recover and he’s someone that deserves to play for the national team, 100%, and he’s such a good player and hopefully he can take it back.”
Berhalter has three highway video games left with Vancouver earlier than he’ll discover out if he’ll the World Cup. The Caps will play FC Dallas on May 13, Houston Dynamo FC three days later and FC San Diego on May 23.
“I think I’m focused on winning games here, and it’s easy when you have this group of guys that you just want to win for,” Berhalter stated. “So you’re not thinking any further. You’re just focusing on trying to get three points every Saturday, every Wednesday.”
