Cavan Sullivan became the youngest player in MLS history and the youngest player to debut in a major U.S. professional sports league.
Sullivan, who signed with the Philadelphia Union on May 9, came on as a substitute in the 85th minute of the Union’s 5-1 win over the New England Revolution on Wednesday night. Sullivan entered the game just after his brother Quinn had given the Union a four-goal lead. Sullivan tried to score in the 93rd minute, but his shot from outside the 18-yard box was saved by Revolution goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic.
Sullivan was 14 years and 293 days old when he made his debut, making him younger than Freddy Adu (14 years, 306 days) when he made his debut for DC United in 2004.
“This is just the first step in Cavan’s career,” Union manager Jim Curtin said after the game. “The time was right to give him his opportunity. This step has been planned by Union, Cavan, his family and some of the biggest clubs in Europe.”
“The fact is, he’s not a normal kid. We knew that from the beginning. He’s not like other players. He’s on a different trajectory than other players. … We have a special plan for him.”
“The place was bustling.”
The win was Union’s first since May 18 and their first at home since March 30.
“You could feel the energy in the stadium tonight,” Curtin said. “When (Cavan) stepped on the field the stadium was electrified.”
The Union came into Wednesday night’s game on a 10-game winless streak that had left Philadelphia in an unfamiliar position at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. The win put the Union comfortably within reach of a playoff spot with 10 games remaining in the regular season.
The Union have been one of the league’s powerhouses in recent years: Philadelphia has made the MLS playoffs each of the past six seasons, won the Supporters’ Shield in 2020, lost in the epic 2022 MLS Championship Game and played in the CONCACAF Champions League in three of the past four years, including this season.
Who is the youngest player in MLS history to make his debut?
- Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia Union, July 17, 2024) – 14 years, 293 days
- Freddy Adu (April 3, 2004, DC United) – 14 years, 306 days
- Julian Hall (September 30, 2023, New York Red Bulls) – 15 years, 190 days
- Alphonso Davies (July 16, 2016, Vancouver Whitecaps FC) – 15 years, 257 days
- Axel Kay (October 14, 2023, Real Salt Lake) – 15 years, 288 days
Who is the youngest athlete to play in an American professional team sport?
Here are the youngest players to debut in an American sports league (since 1970, according to the Elias Sports Bureau):
➤ NWSL: Melanie Barcenas (San Diego Waves, April 29, 2023) – 15 years, 181 days
➤ NBA: Andrew Bynum (Los Angeles Lakers, Nov. 2, 2005) – 18 years, 6 days
➤ NHL: Patrick Marleau (October 1, 1997, San Jose Sharks) – 18 years, 16 days
➤ MLB: David Clyde (June 27, 1973, Texas Rangers) – 18 years, 66 days
➤ WNBA: Maria Stepanova (Phoenix Mercury, June 11, 1998) – 19 years, 108 days
➤ NFL: Amobi Okoye (September 9, 2007, Houston Texans) – 20 years, 91 days
Who is the youngest player to make his debut in a European soccer league?
Here are the youngest players to make their debut in Europe’s top five soccer leagues (since 1988, according to Football Reference):
➤ English Premier League (England): Ethan Nwaneri (18 September 2022, Arsenal) – 15 years, 181 days
➤ La Liga (Spain): Luca Romero (June 24, 2020, Mallorca) – 15 years, 219 days
➤ Serie A (Italy): Francesco Camarda (AC Milan, 25 November 2023) – 15 years, 260 days
➤ Bundesliga (Germany): Youssoufa Moukoko (November 21, 2020, Borussia Dortmund) – 16 years and 1 day
➤ Ligue 1 (France): Ayyoub Bouaddi (October 22, 2023, Lille) – 16 years and 20 days
Contributing writer: Safid Dean, USA TODAY Sports
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