Middlesbrough’s wait to return to the English Premier League will unfortunately extend another year.
Aidan Morris started and played the full 90+ minutes for Kim Hellberg’s squad but Middlesbrough lost to Hull City 1-0 in Saturday’s EFL Championship promotion playoff final. The result guaranteed Boro’s place back into England’s second-tier for next season.
Oli McBurnie’s 95th minute goal proved to be the difference at Wembley Stadium as the Tigers sealed a first berth back to the Premier League since 2017.
Morris completed 96% of his passes, won four duels, and made seven defensive recoveries in Boro’s defeat. It marked the American midfielder’s 45th appearance of the season in all competitions, which was already a career-best for him in a single campaign.
Middlesbrough originally lost to Southampton 2-1 on aggregate in the semifinal round but jumped into the finals spot after the Saints were expelled from the playoffs after spying on their opponents. Southampton was also given a four-point deduction for the 2026-27 season.
Morris will now head into the offseason after reportedly not being named to Mauricio Pochettino’s FIFA World Cup roster.