The similarities can be made between Sevilla FC in Spain’s La Liga and the US men’s national team, at least that’s what Gregg Berhalter hopes.
Berhalter recently visited Sevilla and observed one of Julen Lopetegui’s training sessions ahead of the upcoming La Liga season.
“Sevilla has an image of a club that is always punching above its weight, always competing at the top against clubs like Barcelona and Real Madrid and able to be very successful with their tradition of winning European titles,” he said in a video posted on Sevilla’s YouTube page.
Berhalter said he was drawn by Sevilla’s rich history of success, both on the field and in terms of player recruitment, calling it a “very interesting place to come and learn.”
“It’s great to watch the coaching staff in action,” Berhalter said. “It’s a very competent staff with a lot of success in the international game. It’s picking up some of the methods and understanding how the team is being built, how they’re training and how they’re looking to compete in games.”
Berhalter said he chose Sevilla because Lopetegui has a “very clear plan.” It’s something he is trying to establish, as well, with the USMNT.
“Our objective is to build a strong team and also develop a playing style,” Berhalter said. “We believe we have good players, good talent and we want to change the view of American soccer for the rest of the world.”
