Sullivan has turned international buzz into MLS production
PHILADELPHIA, PA — Cavan Sullivan’s star turn with the US men’s national team has carried straight back into MLS, where the Philadelphia Union teenager has become one of the league’s most productive attackers.
The 17-year-old scored his first USMNT goal in a 3-0 win over Mexico, finishing with a clever chip that underlined his confidence and touch in front of goal. He also made history in a 4-1 win over Peru, becoming the fourth-youngest player to debut for the senior national team in the modern era.
A huge September pushed the Union up the table
Sullivan’s club form has been just as striking. In September, he posted four goals and five assists in four appearances, finishing with nine goal contributions to lead all MLS players that month.
That run earned him MLS Player of the Month honors for September 2026, making him the youngest player ever to win the award. Through 24 league matches, he has seven goals and 12 assists, with 19 total goal contributions already placing him among the most productive teenagers in league history.
He is one goal contribution shy of Diego Fagúndez’s MLS single-season record for a teenager, set in 2013 with New England.
Philadelphia’s playoff push has flipped since the World Cup break
The Union’s resurgence has come in step with Sullivan’s rise. Philadelphia are unbeaten in 12 straight league matches since returning from the 2026 FIFA World Cup break, going 10-0-2 in that stretch.
That run has moved the club to sixth in the Eastern Conference with 39 points after they were sitting at the bottom of the overall table before the pause. They now have seven regular-season games left, beginning Saturday against Real Salt Lake at Subaru Park.
The final stretch also includes trips to Chicago, Nashville and Cincinnati, plus home dates against Charlotte, New England and Toronto.
Ryan Richter has helped unlock more from the attack
Philadelphia’s shift has also coincided with a coaching change. Ryan Richter, who previously led the club’s MLS NEXT Pro side, took over as interim head coach after the Union moved on from Bradley Carnell.
Sullivan has thrived in that setup alongside fellow young contributors Neil Pierre and Frankie Westfield, while Milan Iloski and Bruno Damiani have supplied goals further up the field. The team’s speed and directness have made it a far more dangerous opponent than the one that entered the World Cup pause struggling for results.
Pochettino has already leaned on him with the USMNT
USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino has made it clear he sees real quality in Sullivan, describing him as a fighter and a warrior after the teenager’s goal against Mexico. Sullivan has also earned trust in camp from veterans such as Tyler Adams and Chris Richards while being asked to create chances in attack.
He was one of eight teenagers called into Pochettino’s first camp since the United States reached the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, and his performances have strengthened his case for the next window. The US will face Haiti home and away in November in Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal play.
The ceiling remains massive for Philadelphia’s homegrown star
Sullivan’s rise has been rapid. He signed the largest homegrown contract in MLS history in May 2024, then made his MLS debut at 14 years and 293 days old, becoming the youngest player to appear in a major North American professional sports league at the time.
The Union have handled his development carefully, giving him minutes in MLS NEXT Pro before making him a regular part of the senior setup. Playing at times with his older brother Quinn Sullivan, he has grown into one of the most watchable young players in the league.
With the 2030 World Cup cycle ahead, plus Gold Cup and Nations League chances still to come, Sullivan’s next step could be even bigger than the one he has just taken.
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