CHESTER, Pa. (AP) — Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan, 14, became the youngest player in Major League Soccer history Wednesday night — and likely the youngest to play in one of the world’s biggest professional sports leagues.
Sullivan was 14 years, 293 days old when he came on as an 85th-minute substitute in Philadelphia’s home game against the New England Revolution. That makes him about two weeks younger than Freddy Adu was when he made his MLS debut for D.C. United in 2004.
Sullivan made his debut moments after his brother, 20-year-old Quinn, scored a goal to put Philadelphia up 5-1.
Cavan Sullivan, who replaced striker Tai Baribo, had a handful of touches in the final minutes of Union’s big win. He even recorded his first shot on goal, firing it into the New England net from outside the penalty area in the final minute of injury time, but it was easily saved by Aljaz Ivacic.
“Many congratulations to Cavan Sullivan on his record breaking debut today,” Adu wrote on social media. “That’s a tough record to break and the boy did it. Well done and good luck, man.”
Sullivan is younger than any player to have played in the NBA, NHL, NFL, NWSL, WNBA or Major League Baseball since at least 1970, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Andrew Bynum, who debuted for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2005 at age 18, holds that record.
According to FBRef.com, Ethan Nwaneri became the youngest player to make his debut in the world’s top five leagues since 1988. He came on for Arsenal in 2022, aged 15 years and 181 days.
The younger Sullivan was born in Philadelphia to two soccer-playing parents and joined the Union’s youth academy four years ago. He made his professional debut in March for the Philadelphia Union II in the MLS development league.
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AP MLS: https://apnews.com/hub/major-league-soccer