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Playing European football had always been a dream for Sebastian Berhalter and Max Arfsten. As they smiled through a post-match interview after helping Middlesbrough secure a 1–0 victory over Wrexham in their Carabao Cup opener, the reality exceeded even their wildest expectations.
The pair made their first competitive starts for the club in the opening fixture of the 2026–27 campaign, with Berhalter registering his first assist outside of North America. The two USMNT World Cup players showcased their abilities without close friend Aidan Morris, who was sidelined with a preseason injury.
"It's a different experience," Berhalter said following the match about facing an EFL Championship side for the first time. "It's physical, and the intensity is definitely there."
The pass leading to his assist also came from Arfsten—a contribution that would be credited as an assist under MLS statistics, though not in competitions elsewhere in the world.
"We need to change that," Arfsten said. "We played well for the most part, and the exciting thing is we'll only improve as we grow more comfortable with each other. A lot of us are still getting settled. The atmosphere was great, the energy was positive. Glad to get the first competitive win of the season under our belts."
While Middlesbrough supporters chanted "U-S-A" from the terraces, the American influence has spread well beyond the Riverside Stadium as the new season gets underway.
USMNT Trio Pulls Back the Curtain on Living Arrangement
Rather than finding separate accommodations, the trio has moved in together at Morris's place, with the long-time friends and former Columbus Crew teammates reuniting to kick off the new chapter together.
All three are set to turn 25 in November, none are married, and the partners of Arfsten and Berhalter have yet to relocate to England. According to The Athletic, Morris has introduced the pair to the British staple of Nandos, the Portuguese-style chicken chain, while also showing them around their new city.
Fans haven't been treated to any new Taylor Swift dance TikToks on Berhalter's account, which gained traction following the move thanks to a 2020 clip he filmed with Morris. However, a U.S. Soccer video of him singing George Ezra's "Budapest" from 2025 has begun resurfacing among supporters.
"We're trying to keep things clean. We cooked Aidan dinner last night—pasta and a salad," Berhalter told The Athletic. "We're doing our best. He's been brilliant. We're really fortunate to have him around. You'll have to ask him whether he enjoyed the meal."
Pushing for Promotion
Having fallen short of Premier League promotion after a defeat to Hull City in the EFL Championship play-off final last season—a run that was aided by Southampton's disqualification amid the spy-gate controversy—the club has set its sights high for the upcoming campaign.
Berhalter and Arfsten's first outing offered a glimpse of what they could bring to the team, particularly given it came against a Wrexham side that also suffered a painful end to their own 2025–26 promotion push.
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It was evident the duo won't require much of an adjustment period, arriving with match sharpness and rhythm from the outset, while Morris continues his recovery from injury ahead of the league opener against Lincoln City on Saturday.
This season, at least four American players—Fulham's Antonee Robinson, Bournemouth's Tyler Adams, Leeds United's Brenden Aaronson, and Crystal Palace's Chris Richards—are expected to feature in the Premier League. And with Zavier Gozo, Real Salt Lake's 18-year-old standout, potentially joining Richards, the new Middlesbrough trio are hoping to add three more names to that list next season.
Middlesbrough as a club was founded 100 years after American independence, and is marking its 150th anniversary this season. As the U.S. commemorates 250 years since breaking from Britain, an American takeover on English soil may well be on the horizon.