Cavan Sullivan may have just started his pro soccer career, but he’s already made history.
The Philadelphia Union midfielder, aged 14 years and 293 days, became the youngest player in MLS history on Wednesday.
When Sullivan entered as a substitute for Tai Baribo in the 85th minute of the Union’s 5-1 rout of the New England Revolution, he surpassed Freddy Adu, who was a mere 13 days older than Sullivan when he debuted for D.C. United in 2004.
On Tuesday, Union coach Jim Curtin announced that Sullivan would be named to Philadelphia’s gameday squad of 20 on merit.
“He will be in the 20 because he’s earned it, if you look at his performances in the Union II games and the goals that he scored,” Curtin said.
“We are missing a few guys, obviously that goes his way when you have [Jack] McGlynn and [Nathan] Harriel away as well [with the U.S. Olympic team], but Cavan’s earned the right to be in the 20 if you just go through the numbers and he’ll get that opportunity now.”
Cavan Sullivan has made his @MLS debut!#DOOP pic.twitter.com/pWrRlSqNxt
— Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) July 18, 2024
Sullivan, whose older brother Quinn scored a brilliant goal seconds before his sibling made his league debut, has been biding his time on the club’s MLS Next Pro side, where he has scored in two straight games.
In May, the Philadelphia native signed the most lucrative Homegrown Player deal MLS has ever seen. The deal includes a clause that will see him join Manchester City in 2028, when he’ll be a grizzled veteran at 18 years old.
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