Sebastian Berhalter earns sixth MLS Team of the Matchday selection of 2026

VANCOUVER, BC – Major League Soccer announced on Thursday that midfielder Sebastian Berhalter has been named to the MLS Team of the Matchday for the second consecutive time after his performance in Vancouver Whitecaps FC’s 3-2 victory over FC Dallas. The win extended Vancouver’s best-ever start to an MLS regular season (9W-1L-2D) and claimed top spot in both the Western Conference and the Supporters’ Shield standings.

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This marks the sixth time Berhalter has earned a spot on the Team of the Matchday roster this season (Matchday 1, Matchday 3, Matchday 4, Matchday 6), Matchday 12).

The Blue and White continued their unbeaten road record on Wednesday (2W-0L-2D) at Toyota Stadium with a five goal thriller that saw the ‘Caps battle back after going down early, with Berhalter scoring twice to lead the way.

The American International registered his second-ever MLS brace, with the first one coming on October 11, 2025 at home against San Jose. Both goals were spectacular long distance strikes from outside the top of the 18-yard box.

Berhalter’s first goal was an equalizer after FC Dallas scored an early penalty kick. The 25-year-old received a pass from Cheikh Sabaly into the open space outside the top of the box and unleashed a bullet into the back of the net. His second goal was the game-winner, executed in nearly identical fashion, piercing the top left corner of the goal just out of the goalkeeper’s hands.

Berhalter’s brace on Wednesday now brings him up to six goals on the season, to set a new career high in that category, and he totals 13 goal contributions (6G, 7A) ranking him second across the league, trailing only Inter Miami CF’s Lionel Messi.

The midfielder’s performance also marked the first time in Whitecaps FC MLS history that a player produced a goal or an assist in nine of the opening 12 MLS matches in a season, contributing to the club’s best start in history.

Wednesday’s brace also marked just the second time in Berhalter’s MLS career where he scored in consecutive matches, previously scoring in back-to-back matches earlier this season on March 7 at Portland and on March 15 against Minnesota. The MLS All-Star contender set a new career high of a four-game goal contribution streak, beginning on April 25 against Colorado.

In addition to Berhalter’s two goals, he also registered game-highs in passes (52), key passes (3), corners (6) and crosses (2).

Along with Berhalter, the 'Caps have had a heavy presence on the MLS Team of the Matchday through the season, with striker Brian White (Matchday 3, Matchday 4, Matchday 7, Matchday 10), defender Mathías Laborda (Matchday 4, Matchday 11), forward Emmanuel Sabbi (Matchday 8), attacking midfielder Thomas Müller (Matchday 2), defender Tristan Blackmon (Matchday 3), and head coach Jesper Sørensen (Matchday 3) earning selections.

Dating back to the start of 2025, no MLS team has posted a better regular season record than the Blue and White at 27W-8L-11D. In that time, the 'Caps have the best goal difference (+49), fewest goals against (47), and second most goals scored (96).

MLS Team of the Matchday results: Matchday 13, 2026

F: Zavier Gozo (RSL), Julian Hall (RBNY), Lionel Messi (MIA)
M: David Vazquez (SD), Bryan Acosta (NSH), Sebastian Berhalter (VAN), Calvin Harris (SKC)
D: Nouhou (SEA), Lucas Herrington (COL), Tomas Totland (STL)
GK: Chris Brady (CHI)

Coach: B.J. Callaghan (NSH)

Bench: Matt Freese (NYC), Jeisson Palacios (NSH), Yannick Bright (MIA), Matty Longstaff (MTL), Pedro Soma (SD), Cavan Sullivan (PHI), Cade Cowell (RBNY), Cristian Espinoza (NSH), Martín Ojeda (ORL)