USMNT reportedly calling up Cavan Sullivan for upcoming friendlies after 16-year-old's breakthrough with Union

Cavan Sullivan is coming into his own with the Philadelphia Union. Since the MLS resumed play following the 2026 World Cup , the precocious 16-year-old midfielder has recorded six goals and eight assists across all competitions . He’s made goal contributions in each of his past seven league games — the longest streak of that kind an MLS teenager has ever authored — including during a 5-0 obliteration of San Diego FC last Sunday, a match in which Sullivan chipped in an assist and collected his first career brace. He scored with a backheel flick and then found the back of the net again by nutmegging the goalkeeper . The Sullivan train is chugging along and reportedly making a potentially monumental stop with the United State’s men’s national team this month. The USMNT is calling up Sullivan for the upcoming FIFA international window, which begins in late September and bleeds into October, according to multiple reports Wednesday . CAVAN SULLIVAN BACKHEEL?! 😲 The 16-year-old gives @PhilaUnion the lead in San Diego just before halftime! pic.twitter.com/oSvyKnvfRp — Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 14, 2026 Sullivan could become the second-youngest player to make an appearance for the USMNT, behind only Freddy Adu, whose first cap with the squad came on Jan. 22, 2006. At the time, Adu was 16 years and 243 days old. He subbed in during a 0-0 draw versus Canada. Sullivan will turn 17 on Sept. 28. The USMNT’s first match ahead is a Sept. 26 tilt against Peru in Orlando, Florida. Mauricio Pochettino’s group will then play Chile, Mexico and Canada. This is hardly the first time Sullivan and Adu have been mentioned in the same breath. In fact, back in July 2024, Sullivan broke Adu’s record as the youngest athlete to appear in a league match for a major professional sports league in the U.S. and Canada . Sullivan was 14 years and 293 days old, 13 days younger than Adu was when he made his historic debut in 2004. Months before Sullivan reset that mark, he inked an MLS contract with the Union. The deal notably features a clause that allows him to be transferred to Premier League powerhouse Manchester City upon his 18th birthday in 2027, per ESPN . A homegrown phenom, the 5-foot-7 Sullivan is known for his deft ball control. He brings an intriguing swagger to the pitch, and his recent rapid ascent has reportedly caught the eye of Pochettino, who this summer agreed to a new contract with the USMNT through the 2030 World Cup .