On a wet, stormy night at Subaru Park in Chester, the Philadelphia Union made some North American sports history.
At 14 years and 293 days, midfielder Cavan Sullivan has become the youngest player to debut in the continent’s top professional sports leagues, subbing on in the 85th minute of Philly’s 5-1 win against the New England Revolution.
Sullivan’s first game was 13 days under the previous MLS record set in 2004 by Freddy Adu, with D.C. United.
The Union had been without a win in its last 10 games and were at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings before the game. Jack McGlynn and Nathan Harriel were away with the U.S. Olympic team. Philly’s first-choice goalkeeper Andre Blake made his return from injury, providing a big boost for a previously struggling defense.
Sullivan’s form, on the other hand, had been on the rise. Two goals in his last two games for the Union II and two assists in 10 appearances since his professional debut earned him the call up to the first team squad, head coach Jim Curtin said.
“Cavan’s earned the right to be in the 20, if you just go through the numbers, and he’ll get that opportunity now,” Curtin said on Tuesday. “The next step is working hard to get your first minutes. And sometimes that might be one minute, that might be 15 minutes, that might be 90 minutes. But you have to earn it.”
In May, Sullivan signed the biggest homegrown player deal in MLS history, becoming the league’s fifth-youngest signed player ever.
He is reportedly set to join English soccer giants Manchester City when he turns 18, with the Union getting up to $5 million and a percentage of his next potential transfer fee in the deal.
‘Earned the right to join’
“When we’re at training, there’s still two or three moments during a training session where he does something where you’ll go, ‘OK, I can’t teach that. That’s something that’s ingrained in a young kid that his talent is elite,’ ” Curtin said. “[He] still has a ton to do to work and improve, but he’s earned the right to join the group.”
Sullivan’s No. 6 jersey was already being worn by some Union supporters there for what was eventually a rainy Wednesday night game, including season ticket holder Erik Keller from Mullica Hill, N.J.
“It’s going to be completely amazing if he actually comes in today,” he said.
Keller and his family had planned to come for the game before Sullivan was brought onto the roster. He said that he had got Sullivan’s jersey for the youngster’s potential debut, which he believed would be inspirational for the team, the community and his son Alex, who has been a part of the Union’s youth soccer camps.
“It’s actually really great, especially with my son playing soccer,” Keller said. “He’s going to be able to see someone who’s 14 years old, who’s making it his dream, and it gives him inspiration to do what he wants to do.”
The Union opened the scoring in the 29th minute with a header by Tai Baribo, finishing off a set piece from a foul by New England.
Defender Jakob Glesnes doubled the Union’s lead with another header, this time from a corner in the 39th minute.
Philly made it 3-0 before halftime, when Mikael Uhre turned past Rev’s defender Xavier Arreaga on the right flank and crossed in to tee up Baribo’s second.
New England found the back of the net through Ian Harkes in the 50th, but Baribo responded two minutes later to secure his hat trick and make it 4-1.
Curtin made the team’s first substitutions in the 71st minute. A Sullivan came on, but it was Cavan’s older brother, Quinn. Chants of “we want Cavan” began shortly after, during the hydration break minutes later.
Quinn then took some of the night’s spotlight and set up a fairy-tale scenario by curling in the Union’s fifth goal. He celebrated with a slide in front of Cavan and the other players warming up on the touchline, before Cavan got the call from the bench, took off his bib and jogged to the halfway line to replace Uhre with the stadium erupting in cheers.
The younger Sullivan managed a handful of attacking runs and a shot — even pairing up with Quinn for a chance — before the referee blew the final whistle.
After the game, Sullivan said all the nerves and pressure left as soon as he stepped on the field. While happy to have celebrated with his brother and crossed a personal new milestone, he remained grounded about his path ahead.
“I’m really happy to have done this, but it’s honestly the first box checked off. So, long journey ahead, I know,” said Sullivan, who will be a guest Thursday morning on ABC’s Good Morning, America. “It’s all about where you finish, it’s not where you start. So I’m just going to keep working, keep developing here. My main focus on Philadelphia and our season ahead.”
Adu was quick to congratulate Sullivan on breaking the record, and Sullivan said he had already reposted the message on his Instagram.
“It was pretty cool to have some words from someone like him. He really paved the way for young guys like me. I only have respect for him,” Sullivan said.
