Cavan Sullivan Achieves the Inevitable, Becoming Youngest Goalscorer in USMNT History

To be the future you must rewrite history.

It’s something teenage phenom Cavan Sullivan has become all too good at it, and there is no doubt he is the future of the U.S. men’s national team.

At 17 years and five days old, Sullivan became the youngest goal-scorer in USMNT history, finding the back of the net on Saturday night against Mexico. He overtook the record set just days ago by teammate Mathis Albert, who scored in Tuesday’s friendly against Chile at just 17 years, 131 days old.

“These are the moments you dream about since you are three, four, five, six years old,” Sullivan said after the victory to TNT Sports. “I manifested this moment not just these past couple of hours when I found out that I was starting, but my whole life.

“So this is an incredible moment for my family, for me. What an honor it is, just really grateful the coaches trusted me and gave me this opportunity.”

He intercepted a pass from El Tri goalkeeper Raúl Rangel, before brilliantly lofting the ball over his head into the back of the net. The 62nd minute finish brought the USMNT to a 2–0 lead against its Concacaf arch nemesis, before Malik Tillman later added a third.

“I remember I probably shouldn’t have pressed the goalie,” Sullivan reflected, chuckling. “It felt like there was not really anybody pressing behind me, but you know, that’s why you go and that’s why you put in the work, and I was rewarded for doing so.

“From there, it was sort of a blackout. I just remember chipping the ball, hoping it didn’t hit the crossbar or go over. I was getting nervous when it was in the air and then it was a blur.”

Records on Records on Records

sullivan smiling — Sullivan has his fair share of records in MLS. | Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images

“He is a fighter. He is a warrior,” manager Mauricio Pochettino said of Sullivan after the win against Mexico. “It is difficult to find this type of player, with a tremendous quality with the ball in possession ... It is unbelievable to have a player like this. This is fantastic news for the U.S.A. I hope that he continues in that way, growing.”

Sullivan has never done anything by the standard of others. Just two days before his 17th birthday, Sullivan became the youngest player to debut for the USMNT in over 20 years, earning a start in the friendly against Peru.

The youngster has also made his fair share of history at the domestic level in Major League Soccer. At just 14 years, 293 days old, the Philadelphia Union homegrown became the youngest player ever to debut in the league—or any major league in North America for that matter. He broke the 20-year record of American prodigy Freddy Adu, who first debuted in the league at 14 years, 306 days old back in 2004.

Sullivan has enjoyed an unprecedented campaign with the Union this season, the reason he has been thrust firmly into the limelight and earned the call from Pochettino this fall. He has racked up six goals and eight assists in the last eight MLS matches alone, helping the Philadelphia side to a club-record 12-game unbeaten streak. For his heroics, he earned MLS Player of the Month for September, beating out the likes of Lionel Messi and becoming the youngest player to ever earn the honor. In just four September outings, he had a whopping nine goal contributions (four goals, five assists).

Earlier this month, he also broke Adu’s record for the most goal contributions by a player aged 16 or younger in a single season (10), notching his 11th in a Sept. 13 clash with San Diego FC. And there are still more games to be played.

The best is yet to come for Sullivan, who will no doubt continue to write his name all over history and leave American soccer forever changed.

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