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“That day meant everything,” Philadelphia Union wonderkid Cavan Sullivan said in an exclusive interview with Transfermarkt. “It felt like the real beginning of everything I’d been chasing since the first moment I ever touched a soccer ball. I was proud in a way that’s hard to even put into words. Having my family and friends there in my hometown made it hit even harder. And the moment that tied it all together was my brother Quinn scoring—his goal locked up the game and made it possible for me to get subbed in. Sharing that with him made the whole day unforgettable.”
The day Sullivan is referring to is July 17, 2024. That day, against the New England Revolution (5-1), the younger of the two Sullivan brothers became the youngest player in Major League Soccer history, breaking a record set by Freddy Adu in 2004. Adu was 14 years, 10 months, and 1 day old when he made his Major League Soccer debut for D.C. United. United in a 2-1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes on April 4, 2004. More than 20 years later, Adu’s record as the youngest-ever player in MLS was finally broken (overview).
Furthermore, former Union head coach Jim Curtin couldn’t have picked a better moment for Sullivan to come on to break the record. Just moments before coming on, Cavan’s brother Quinn had scored to make it 5-1. More than a year later, Cavan is quick to stress his brother's importance. “He played a major role in helping me settle in when I first joined the team,” Sullivan said. “His guidance made my transition into professional soccer much smoother, and I learned how to develop stronger habits, balance school with the game, and many other important things. He’s currently injured, but I’m excited for the day we’re back on the field together.”
More than Freddy Adu? The German-American is part of US soccer royalty
“Big congrats to Cavan Sullivan for his record-breaking debut today,” Adu wrote on X after the debut. “That’s a hard record to break, and the kid did it. Well done, and good luck, my man.” The rise and rapid fall of Adu has been well documented. Hyped to the sky by the always-overenthusiastic US media, Adu was labeled America’s Pelé but never reached those heights, and after a journeyman career throughout Europe and South America, finally called it quits in 2021.
There is always a risk that Sullivan could become just another Adu. But at the same time, the 16-year-old might be better prepared for what is about to come in his career. The youngest of four children, he and Quinn are now regular members of the Philadelphia Union first team. His father, Brendan Sullivan, had a decent career in the A-League and USL Championship. Cavan’s older cousin, Chris Albright, is a former US men’s national team player and the current General Manager of MLS side FC Cincinnati. As for his German heritage, his mother is a first-generation American, the daughter of a Bangladeshi immigrant and the famous German scientist and former University of Pennsylvania professor Klaus Krippendorff, who died in 2022 aged 90. It is through Krippendorff that Cavan has a German passport and could still represent Germany.
Furthermore, his mother, too, is a former college soccer player, and, surrounded by a family deeply embedded in sports and academics, Cavan Sullivan has a strong foundation that should help him avoid the same trap Adu fell into over 20 years ago. Another aspect that will help is that US soccer is now in a much better place than when Adu emerged. Back then, the sport was looking for the US equivalent of Brazilian Pelé, a saviour who could catapult the sport to a new dimension. The emergence of Christian Pulisic and the arrival of Lionel Messi at Inter Miami CF have taken that spotlight away from the teenager, allowing him to develop in peace at the Philadelphia Union.
Already signed for Man City – What sort of player is Cavan Sullivan?
That doesn’t mean that Sullivan hasn’t been in the headlines. Last week, he received his first-ever market value of €3.5m, making Sullivan one of the five most valuable players born in 2009. It is all but confirmed that the midfielder will join Man City when he turns 18. Transfermarkt understands that the Union will receive $5 million as part of the deal. While both the Union and Man City have been tight-lipped about the transfer, Sullivan was quick to confirm the move to Transfermarkt. “Well, it's the truth: once I turn 18, I’ll be joining Manchester City,” Sullivan said. “They’ve been great to me, and I already feel a strong connection with the club. I’m excited for the future, but right now my priority is establishing myself as one of the top players in MLS.”
While he was open to talking about his future at Man City, Sullivan didn’t want to answer whether there are any players he models his game after. “I am a dynamic attacking player who wants to change the game,” Sullivan said when asked about his strengths. “I am a player with no fear.” What are the best comparables? Sullivan has been favourably compared to Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai. Other good examples are Barcelona’s Pedri and Jude Bellingham. All of these players can rush through midfield with the ball on their feet and break down defensive lines. While he didn’t score in MLS this year, Sullivan has managed six goals and five assists in 14 games in MLS Next Pro. The Philadelphia Union head coach, Bradley Carnell, has another comparable. "He reminds me a bit of how Mario Götze played between 2012 and 2014," Carnell said to Transfermarkt.
Sullivan won’t turn 18 until 2027 and has some ambitious goals with the Union before his move to the Premier League. “I just go in every single day and work my hardest on being a better person and player,” Sullivan said. “My goal is to become a consistent player with the Union. Score my first MLS goal, and have fun in the process. I want to get called into a first-team USA camp. That’s the goal, and I’m not taking my eye off of it.” For now, it appears the dual citizen, who scored two goals and two assists in four games at the U17 World Cup for the United States, has his sights set on the USMNT even if he could still technically represent Germany.
From December 1 to 24, we introduce new players from different countries born in 2008 and 2009. Area managers, users, and data scouts come into play as experts throughout the series. You can follow all those players by adding them to your TM watchlist.
