PHILADELPHIA — Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union has called up 14-year-old Cavan Sullivan ahead of the team’s home game against the New England Revolution on Wednesday.
The Union also host Nashville SC on Saturday at Subaru Park in Philadelphia. If Sullivan, aged 14 years and 293 days as of Wednesday, plays in either of the Union’s next two games, he will become the youngest debutant in North American professional sports history. The current record is held by former MLS star Freddy Adu, who debuted for the D.C. United in 2004 at 14 years and 306 days old.
“Cavan’s earned the right to be in the 20 if you just go through the numbers,” Union head coach Jim Curtin said Tuesday. “He’ll get that opportunity now and the next step is working hard to get your first minutes. Sometimes that might be one minute, that might be 15 minutes, that might be 90 minutes. But you have to earn it and I think Cavan understands that and recognizes it.”
Sullivan was born Sept. 28, 2009, about 45 minutes northwest of Philadelphia in Norristown, Pennsylvania. The 5-foot-7, 150-pound midfielder signed with his hometown team in May, becoming the fifth youngest player to sign a first-team contract in MLS history. His older brother, Quinn, 20, is also a midfielder for the Union.
“I’ve been watching my home team, the Union, for as long as I remember and hoped that one day I’d get the chance to play for my city in front of my family, friends, and fans,” Sullivan said after signing with the Union. “Being able to not only play for the Union but to be able to play with my brother is a dream come true. I will give everything I have to this club and hope to help bring home some hardware. I’m thankful for the opportunity and hope to make Philadelphia proud.”
As part of his contract, Sullivan will transfer to the English Premier League’s Manchester City after he turns 18 in 2027, the first such agreement that has been included in an MLS player’s first contract.
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