ONE TOUCH SUMMARY
- Cavan Sullivan, 16-year-old Philadelphia Union midfielder, receives first USMNT call-up for September-October friendlies.
- Since MLS resumed after the summer World Cup, Sullivan has tallied six goals and eight assists, earning Pochettino’s attention.
- If capped, Sullivan would become the fourth-youngest USMNT debutant and the youngest NA pro athlete to appear in a match.
ONE TOUCH INSIGHT
Calling up Cavan Sullivan now is less a gamble on potential and more a reward for the production he has already shown in MLS. At 16, the Union midfielder has six goals and eight assists since the league resumed after the summer World Cup, a return that earned him Pochettino’s attention and a nod in the coach’s own words about wanting players who feel brave and confident.
The hype around Sullivan is real, but the true measure will be whether he gets minutes against opponents that actually test him, such as Mexico or Chile, rather than appearing only in low‑stakes friendlies. If he stays on the bench throughout the September‑October window, the call‑up will look like a publicity stunt; if he steps onto the field, it will signal that Pochettino is ready to fast‑track talent based on current form.
The concrete thing to watch is whether Sullivan receives any playing time in the upcoming matches against Chile, Peru, Mexico or Canada.
WHY IT MATTERS
Calling up 16‑year‑old Cavan Sullivan underscores the USMNT’s shift toward youth under Pochettino, rewarding his MLS productivity and signaling confidence in the next generation despite limited senior experience.
TACTICAL FIT
Sullivan’s attacking midfield profile offers Pochettino a creative spark, providing goal threat and progressive play from deep, enabling a more fluid, forward‑pressing shape without sacrificing midfield cohesion.
THE DEBATE
Should the USMNT rely on teenagers like Sullivan for immediate competitive success?
Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan is set to earn his first international call-up with the United States men’s national team later this month, a source with knowledge of the roster told the Guardian on Wednesday. The source requested anonymity as they were not authorized to discuss the roster.
The US will face Chile, Peru, Mexico and Canada in late September and early October, with US head coach Mauricio Pochettino expected to announce his roster on Thursday morning. ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle was first to report news of Sullivan’s inclusion.
Read moreSullivan, who turned pro at age 14, has long been touted as a potential US international. His play since MLS resumed action after this summer’s World Cup has been a revelation, with six goals and eight assists in that period. That has earned him a look from Pochettino. Earlier this month the player drew Pochettino’s attention in an entirely different way, when Sullivan suggested in a podcast interview that he might have proven a valuable contributor for the US this summer at the World Cup, where they crashed out in the last 16 against Belgium.
“We are watching everything, we are seeing everything,” Pochettino told reporters at the time. “And of course, we want players with talent, players that feel brave, feel confident, but not [that] feel things that they still don’t show or they [haven’t] earned. I think you only are entitled to talk a little bit out of order if you are Messi. If you’ve won eight Ballon d’Ors, OK, you can talk with a certain arrogance.”
If Sullivan plays in this upcoming window he will become the fourth-youngest player ever to earn a cap for the USMNT (The youngest being Freddy Adu, who was several months younger than Sullivan when he debuted in a 2006 friendly against Canada). Sullivan did manage to break another of Adu’s long-standing marks: he became the youngest player in the history of any major North American professional sport to appear in a match when he first took the field for the Union in 2024.
Sullivan signed his deal with the Union in May of that year. His contract that includes a transfer to Manchester City when he turns 18.
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