Cavan Sullivan, 16, starts as USA beat Peru 4-1
Cavan Sullivan was 16 years and 363 days old when he started for the United States in a 4-1 friendly win over Peru on Saturday in Orlando, Florida.
The friendly, a non-competitive international played outside a tournament, ended in a comfortable home victory. Sullivan, a Philadelphia Union midfielder, was named in Mauricio Pochettino's starting XI for his first senior start, according to U.S. Soccer.
At 16 years and 363 days, he became the fourth youngest player to play for the United States, according to the BBC. He is also the youngest to debut for the men's national team since Freddy Adu in 2006, according to The Athletic.
He was not the only teenager in the team. Peyton Miller, Sullivan and Justin Ellis all debuted in the starting XI against Peru. Three starters that young in one senior international is rare. It gave the night a clear sense of the future getting a look.
Sullivan's club form earned the call. He has seven goals and five assists in Major League Soccer this season. Six of those goals and four of the assists came in August and September. He has scored six goals in his past six games and has been named in the MLS Team of the Matchday seven times, including the past three in a row.
Manchester City secured his future signing in 2024 when he was 14. He still has a little over a year before he can officially join the Premier League club. For now he remains a Philadelphia player, learning at senior pace week by week.
The rise has been quick. Sullivan received his first senior call-up for fall camp in 2026. Less than a year earlier he came off the bench in the 62nd minute to score on his U-17 World Cup debut, a strike that gave the United States a 1-0 win over Burkina Faso at the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
What makes this stand out is the timing. Most 16-year-olds are still finding their way in academy football. Sullivan is starting senior internationals and scoring regularly in one of the toughest physical leagues to break through as a teenager.
