Welcome to the scuff podcast where we talk about U.S. soccer.

Welcome everyone to the scuff podcast.

We got a very, very, very special treat for y'all that i've been super excited about

u.s soccer royalty son of hashtag the coach sebastian burrhalter sebastian how are you doing man

doing well how are you doing can't complain there you go Sebastian great to be with you so one of your

new club teammates hilariously scooped the federation on Tristan's call

up for this window. Can you tell us about the usual timeline and process for how you get called up?

Like how far in advance do you find out? And who are you allowed to tell? Yeah, I think you find

out, I want to say almost like a week and a half, two weeks before the camp. And then, you know, our club will find out first. So that's actually how I think Tristan found out, you know, the club told them. And then, yeah, and then we'll get an email probably two to three days later, the actual players. You know, sometimes the clubs tell the players before that. Sometimes they don't. And then, yeah, you know, it's just a good feeling.

And then who do you tell, like, when you find out?

What do you trust? Yeah, I know. My mom and dad for sure. I think they're always the first ones. And then just kind of just close friends and people that I feel like, you know, have helped me along the way. And, you know, I know that would be proud. and, you know, something that, people that, like, I, you know, that I owe something, you know,

that really took a chance on me and say, hey, like, you know, thanks for, you know.

Thanks for. that would be proud and, you know, something that, like, I, you know, that I owe something, you know, that really took a chance on me and say, hey, like, you know, thanks for taking a chance of me. Like, look, I want to let you know I'm going to, you know, here and there. So, yeah. And we've seen a lot of players struggle to translate their form from their club to the national team. How do you feel that process has gone so far for you? It's good.

Yeah, it's been good. I think, you know, coming here, I've had to raise my level, you know, and that's something that, you know, I'm not sure not a lot of people knew that I had, you know, different intensity, different level, and even for myself, you know, I've never played a level this high. So, you know, being here and being around these quality players, it's, you know, definitely raised my game.

And I'm excited to just keep going.

And any tips from your dad specifically on making that adjustment to this environment? I don't know. I think you just, I think you just, you know, go be yourself and enjoy it. You know, I don't think it's more of like, you know, play one touch, play two touch. you know, it's more of just like enjoy this moment and go out and do your best. Is your shoe game better than your dad's? It's not. It's actually not. And I'm not sure a lot of people in this world can say that, but it's actually not. He's got a lot of shoes. And yeah, he's up there for sure. Did that rub off on you at all? Oh, for sure. Oh, yeah, for sure. Yeah, for sure. Just want to ask you, Sebastian, about differences between, like, club and national team play. Like, what is the difference actually on the field between the two? Obviously, you don't have the built-in, don't have the reps with the people that you're playing with on the national team the way you do with your club. So how does that manifest in your play? Like how do you try and build that camaraderie within, you know, a week or whatever before y'all get on the pitch? Yeah, I think the national team just has that, you know, that intensity that everyone's, you know, fighting for their country. You know, even your opponents, like at club, it's hard to replicate

that, I feel like, that just like almost desire and desperateness of playing for your country.

And then, yeah, in terms of, you know, not having a lot of time, I think it's just, you know,

you're around good players and good players know where to be and, you know, where to pass you

the ball and something that you kind of just figure out.

Okay. Yeah, that's always been my thought is it's like ballers are going to ball if you know you have somebody next to you who you can give the ball to in any type of situation you know that makes things a lot easier yeah so okay how much did uh your parents push you with soccer and how much did you fall in love with the game so that you could start pushing yourself yeah i don't i don't think too much i think they kind of guided me into a into a good way but you know they kind of said it's up to me you know if i want to do this i you know go go ahead if not no problem you know and they kind of made me find that for myself and you know i'm super thankful that, that's what they did because it, you know, harbored that passion and that desire to just, just work endlessly. Okay. During the Gold Cup, we heard quite a bit about the time you and your dad were able to have together during, during COVID. I think it was said that that was the time that Greg realized that you had a shot. I don't know if he meant a shot to be a national team player, maybe just a pro, whatever. But what did you take from those sessions together with you two? Yeah, I think I've said it before, but it was one of the hardest moments of my career. You know, I wasn't even playing with a team. I was just working my dad. and yeah, I think he, you know, I learned so much, I think, mentally in that moment, you know, how far I could push myself and where my limits were. You know, I think, obviously, you know, your club seems push you, but it's only to an extent, you know, they don't want to kill you for the next game. They don't want you to be in a tough spot, so he really pushed me. And now, like, I have that confidence that, you know, nothing can be as hard as what I did then. And for me, that's, you know, that's great. And I'm super thankful that he did that with me. So it was a type of situation where your parents were kind of hands off. But then once you kind of, I guess, communicated to your day like hey I really want this then he started probably pushing you more like okay if you want this

then this is what you have to do. Yeah, I think he would always come in with guidance and advice. But, no, again, like, I think he was very hands-off, you know, both of them. And they were just there supporting and loving and, you know, caring for me through the good and the bad. And then during COVID,

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