At just 14 years and 293 days old, Cavan Sullivan made history by becoming the youngest player to enter an MLS match — and debut in any major professional U.S. sports league — on Wednesday night for the Philadelphia Union.
Sullivan gracefully entered Philadelphia’s Subaru Park’s pitch in the 85th minute for the Union’s 5-1 win over the New England Revolution, ending Freddy Adu’s 20-year record after he played in a game at 14 years, 306 days old in April 2004 for D.C. United.
The now-35-year-old Adu was one of many who congratulated Sullivan on his remarkable feat.
“Big congrats to Cavan Sullivan for his record breaking debut today,” Adu wrote on X following Sullivan’s entry into the game.
“That’s a hard record to break and the kid did it. Well done and good luck my man,” he added with three clapping emojis.
Sullivan — who was born in 2009 — wasted no time trying to make his mark, rifling a shot at Revolution goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic in the 93rd minute.
In total, he finished with five minutes played. the one shot on goal and three completed passes.
Head coach Jim Curtin addressed how the Union plan to develop the teenager following the win.
“We do have a plan for him, it’s not just day by day,” Curtin said.
“You saw him dominate the academy, even playing up three years, you don’t see him everyday in training. The staff does. The time was right.”
Curtin, a day before Sullivan made history, told reporters about why the team decided to bring up the talented midfielder to the top club.
“When we’re at training, there are still two or three moments where he does something where you go, ‘Okay I can’t teach that,” Curtin told the official MLS website on Tuesday.
“That’s something that’s ingrained in a young kid where his talent is elite.’”
However, Sullivan will eventually be eschewing club soccer in the United States once he turns 18.
He previously signed a homegrown deal — the largest contract in MLS history for that kind — which will eventually send him to Manchester City, one of the game’s most promising clubs.
MLS commissioner Don Garber previously congratulated Sullivan on his record deal with Philly.
“The signing of Cavan is a great example of our player pathway — from @MLSNEXT to @MLSNEXTPRO — and we’re proud to see him make @MLS his league of choice,” Garber wrote on X.