Two Middlesbrough midfielders received opposite news on Wednesday, when Sebastian Berhalter was named to the United States squad and Aidan Morris was left out of it.
U.S. Soccer announced the 25-man roster for the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals against Haiti on November 4. Berhalter is one of eight midfielders selected.
Morris did not make the list. Neither did his Middlesbrough teammate Max Arfsten.
NBC Sports called Morris a surprising omission in its review of Mauricio Pochettino’s squad, grouping him with Stoke City’s Jack McGlynn.
The United States plays Haiti in Miami on Saturday, November 14, and in Cincinnati on Tuesday, November 17.
Berhalter’s Rise at Middlesbrough
Berhalter joined Middlesbrough from Vancouver Whitecaps in the summer of 2026. He has made the move look straightforward.
U.S. Soccer’s roster notes credit him as Middlesbrough’s second-leading goal contributor this season, with three goals and three assists in all competitions.
He has 22 caps and four goals for the United States. He was also part of the group that beat Haiti at the 2025 Gold Cup.
At club level, he and Morris have formed the midfield pairing behind Middlesbrough’s strong Championship start.
Both men started on Tuesday, November 4, when Middlesbrough lost 2-0 away to Wrexham.
The Case Morris Had Built
Morris is in his third season at the Riverside. He is a permanent starter in the side.
Sports Illustrated’s analysis of the squad noted that he has scored two goals this season, and that he has not played for the United States since the March international break.
That last point cuts both ways. Pochettino has now passed over an in-form Championship regular for another competitive window.
The midfield places went elsewhere. Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna and Malik Tillman headline the group, with Berhalter among the supporting options.
Morris’s omission will read at Middlesbrough as a statement about the level Pochettino expects, not about the player’s club form.
What It Means for Middlesbrough
For the club, the split decision is easy to manage. Berhalter leaves for the United States camp after the weekend’s fixtures.
He will be in Miami and Cincinnati while the Nations League quarterfinals are played over two legs.
Morris stays behind. He gets two weeks of training at Rockliffe instead of international travel.
For a Championship side chasing promotion, that trade has a silver lining. One starting midfielder gains international experience, and the other stays fresh.
But for Morris himself, the message from the national team is hard to miss. Club form alone has not been enough, and the next chance to change that comes in the spring.
