Cavan Sullivan makes USMNT history with first start | OneFootball

By Ari Liljenwall

Cavan Sullivan's rapid rise has reached the international stage.

The 16-year-old Philadelphia Union homegrown midfielder was named to Mauricio Pochettino's starting XI during Saturday's 4-1 friendly victory over Peru at Orlando City's Inter.co Stadium, marking his US men's national team debut with a win.

At 16 years, 363 days, Sullivan became the fourth-youngest player in the modern era to debut for the USMNT, adding another milestone to a career that's already featured its share of them.

Breakout season

Sullivan's first senior call-up comes amid a remarkable stretch of form for both player and club. 

A breakout run since the FIFA World Cup break has helped Sullivan reach 7g/12a in 24 MLS appearances this season, including a goal contribution in eight straight matches – the longest such streak by a teenager in league history. 

He's been at the heart of Philadelphia's dramatic turnaround, with the Union going unbeaten in 11 straight matches to climb from the bottom of the Eastern Conference into the Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs places.

Saturday represented the latest step in that progression, with Sullivan putting in a active 62-minute shift.

Two other Philly homegrowns, Neil Pierre and Frankie Westfield, also earned their first senior caps off the bench, while fellow newcomers Justin Ellis (Orlando City) and Julian Hall (Red Bull New York) scored on their USMNT debut.