Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan, just 16 years old, has been called into U.S. men's national team camp for four upcoming friendlies in late September and early October, putting him on the verge of a milestone that would place him behind only Freddy Adu in program history. The call-up comes as Sullivan is riding one of the hottest stretches of his young career, scoring five goals in five straight MLS matches for the Union.
Multiple sources confirmed the call-up to The New York Times, which reported that U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino has brought Sullivan in for four friendlies spanning late September and early October. Sullivan turns 17 on September 28, and if he takes the field for the Americans, he would become the second-youngest debutant in U.S. men's national team history, trailing only Adu, according to the same report. Should he appear in the match against Peru on September 26, he would be 16 years and 363 days old, ranking as the fourth-youngest player ever to suit up for the national team, per Yahoo Sports. Adu himself remains the youngest man ever to appear for the U.S. team, having debuted in January 2006 at 16 years and seven months old.
Sullivan has been nothing short of dominant for the Union this season. He has registered six goals and five assists in 2026 MLS play, per the Times, though an earlier Yahoo Sports report put his tally at three goals and seven assists — a discrepancy that has not been resolved in the reporting. His brace in Philadelphia's 5-0 rout of San Diego on Sunday marked his fifth goal in as many games, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported, and the outlet noted it has been a driving force behind the Union's 10-game unbeaten streak since the MLS break for the World Cup.
A Record-Breaking Rise Through the Union Academy
Sullivan's path to this moment has been unusually fast. He joined the Philadelphia Union Academy in 2020 and progressed quickly through the club's Pro Player Pathway, according to the Philadelphia Union, which also credits him with winning the Golden Ball as the top player at the 2023 Concacaf Boys' Under-15 Championship after scoring four goals in that tournament.
He made history in July 2024, becoming the youngest player ever to appear in an MLS match at 14 years and 293 days old, breaking Adu's previous MLS debut record of 14 years and 306 days set with D.C. United back in 2004, per MLSsoccer.com. That mark still tops the league's list of youngest-ever debutants, ahead of Adu and New York Red Bulls player Julian Hall. MLSsoccer.com also notes that five of the 10 youngest players ever to debut in MLS have done so since the start of the 2023 season, a sign of how aggressively clubs are now fast-tracking teenage talent.
Sullivan earned a regular starting role for the Union in late April, according to Yahoo Sports, and the momentum has only built from there. He has posted a goal contribution in four consecutive MLS matches, the outlet reported, and his 10 combined goal contributions this season tied Adu's MLS record for a player aged 16 or younger. The Times reports that Sullivan has since surpassed that mark outright, now owning the record for most goal contributions in a season by a player 16 or younger.
Bound for Manchester City, But First, the World Cup Cycle
Sullivan's rise has already attracted interest well beyond MLS. He is set to join Manchester City once he turns 18, according to Sports Illustrated. For now, though, his focus shifts to the national team, where Pochettino is beginning his second cycle as U.S. coach with an eye toward the 2030 World Cup, while also weighing the 2028 Olympic Games and other tournaments on the calendar, per the Times.
Pochettino described the upcoming camp as a blend of experience and opportunity. The Times reported his comments that the roster would feature “a mix in between players that were involved in the World Cup and players maybe with the possibility to make their first call for the national team.” The coach also said he plans to include several new faces in the squad as the program looks ahead.
A Coach's Message on Staying Grounded
Pochettino has also used the moment to caution the program's rising prospects. According to the Times, he warned young players against arrogance early in their professional careers and said players should not claim abilities they have not demonstrated or earned. He added that the national team should protect its youngest talents and help them develop professionally, while stressing that young players need confidence and self-belief balanced with humility, respect and care in how they speak publicly.
That guidance follows remarks from other young U.S. prospects that drew attention this year. The Times reported that Crystal Palace-bound midfielder Zavier Gozo said on a podcast that he deserved to be at the World Cup, while Sullivan himself said on a podcast that he could have made a difference against Belgium.
Following in Complicated Footsteps
The comparisons to Adu carry weight beyond the record books. As The Guardian noted, Adu's name is still invoked as a cautionary tale of a heavily hyped American prodigy whose career never matched the early expectations. The same Guardian piece pointed out that among the touted American prospects of recent years, only Christian Pulisic has truly panned out the way many had hoped — a backdrop that adds extra scrutiny to Sullivan's ascent. The Guardian also cited advanced metrics suggesting Sullivan has already put together the best MLS season ever by a teenager, ahead of Alphonso Davies, though the underlying figures behind that claim were not detailed.
For now, Sullivan's next step is clear even if his eventual debut is not guaranteed. The U.S. men's national team is scheduled to face Peru on September 26 in Orlando, Chile on September 29 in St. Louis, Mexico on October 3 in Glendale, Arizona, and Canada on October 6 in St. Paul, Minnesota, according to the Times. Whether Sullivan takes the field in any of those matches will determine if the Philadelphia teenager adds a national-team debut to a list of records that already reads well beyond his years.
