Veteran American Defender Rhett Bernstein Bolsters Miami FC Back Line

Miami FC has announced Rhett Bernstein will be joining the club for its 2016 inaugural season. The center back has spent the majority of his career playing abroad in Norway. 

“I’m happy to see our team’s defense start to take shape,” Miami FC head coach Alessandro Nesta said. “Rhett is a powerful player and has already contributed quite a bit to the teams he’s played for. Miami FC is lucky to have him.”

Bernstein, 28, spent most of his youth playing for the Nomads Soccer Club. The San Diego, Calif., native was a standout at Brown University, where he was a two-time Hermann Trophy nominee. Upon graduation in 2009, he spent time in Israel training with Maccabi Tel-Aviv. He later joined Sevilla FC Puerto Rico to partake in the SuperCopa Direct TV 2010.

Bernstein later moved to Europe in 2011 and signed with Norway's Mjøndalen IF. In 2014, he helped solidify his team’s promotion to the top league, the Tippeligæn, after two man-of-the-match performances in a home-and-away playoff-promotion game against Norwegian giants, SK Brann. This marked Mjøndalen’s first time in the top division in over 20 years. In 2015, he led his team in scoring with five goals as a center back. Also, he was the leading goalscorer for a defender in the league. In consecutive matches, he scored twice in a 4-3 comeback win against Tromsø and twice more in a victory over league champions Rosenborg, 3-2.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be a part of soccer in Miami,” Bernstein said. “Being a defender, it really is a privilege to work under one of the greats.”