Everyone in America knows Wrexham by now. Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney, a Hollywood documentary, sold-out preseason tours — the Red Dragons turned a fifth-tier afterthought into the most talked-about club outside the Premier League for U.S. fans. Fair enough. It’s a great story.
But if you’re an American soccer fan looking for a team to actually root for this season, not just watch on Disney+, look north to Teesside. Middlesbrough just built a squad with three American players in it, and one of them might end up wearing the captain’s armband.
GettyAmerican Aidan Morris in action with Championship side Middlesbrough
The American Trio
Sebastian Berhalter — coach Gregg Berhalter’s son — arrived from the Vancouver Whitecaps this summer on a four-year deal, aided by his best friend and former Columbus Crew academy teammate, Aidan Morris, who has already been at the Riverside since 2024 and reportedly helped sell Berhalter on the move himself. Add wing-back Max Arfsten, also plucked from Columbus this summer, and Boro didn’t just sign Americans — they imported a piece of MLS with them.
Morris is the one worth watching closest. He’s not a new arrival trying to find his footing; he’s already Boro’s midfield engine. With longtime partner Hayden Hackney gone to Everton, Morris steps into the No. 1 job in the middle of the park this season, and Teesside fans have taken to calling him Captain America — not as a joke, but because plenty of people on Teesside think he’ll actually get the armband under Kim Hellberg.
A Serious Promotion Push, Not a Sideshow
If Wrexham’s story is a fairy tale, then Middlesbrough’s is about business. Boro finished fifth last season, made the play-off final, and have spent the summer building a squad that looks built to finish the job this time around. There’s no film crew following them around — just a genuine promotion push, with three Americans now standing at the center of it under Kim Hellberg, who’s had a full season on Teesside to shape this squad his way. Heavy has covered Boro’s near-misses before — this year, the Americans in the middle of the park are betting they can go one step further.
Here is the reality: Wrexham will keep making headlines but it’s Middlesbrough that is quietly putting together the team that have a good chance of getting back to the Premier League — and Americans get to watch three of their own try to do it from the midfield..
How and When to Watch
The Championship is available to U.S. viewers on CBS Sports Networks and Paramount+, with every match streaming on Paramount+. First look at this Boro squad comes fast: Middlesbrough travels to Ewood Park to face Blackburn Rovers this Saturday, kickoff at 10a.m. ET on CBS Sports Golazo & Paramount+.
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