Should Cavan Sullivan Be Called Up To The USMNT?

Over the summer, the U.S. men’s national team took part in the most important World Cup in their history. With the tournament taking place on home soil, the nation rallied around the squad like never before. The atmosphere at USA games was truly spectacular. During the 2-0 win over Australia in the group stage, seismic activity was recorded. However, the team ultimately came up short. They were knocked out in the round of 16 in a humiliating 4-1 defeat to Belgium.

Now attention turns to the future of the men’s national team. This upcoming cycle is viewed as a fresh start. Manager Mauricio Pochettino gets a full four years to further instill his culture into a generation of players that has lacked mentality their whole careers. It will also be a chance to start integrating the exciting new crop of players that have burst onto the scene in the last year or so. There has been a lot of buzz surrounding many young talents in the U.S. youth national team system, but one name always generates the most hype. Cavan Sullivan. 

Rise to Stardom

Scouts have tipped Cavan for greatness for years. The murmurs started in 2022 when a 12 year old Sullivan scored against Portuguese giants FC Porto in the Generation Adidas Cup, playing up two years with the U15s. He was named to the Best XI at that same tournament in 2023 despite still playing up a year. Sullivan started drawing eyes as he led Philadelphia Union to the final, with his most impressive performance coming in a 4-1 win over English giants Arsenal. That same year, he led the USA to their first ever Concacaf U15 Championship title, scoring four goals and winning the Golden Ball.

2024 was a year of milestones for Sullivan. First, he moved up to the Union’s U17 team and helped them win their second straight GA Cup title, even scoring in the final. By this point, his hype had made it out of the U.S. and he had some of the biggest clubs in the world battling for his signature. On May 9, Cavan signed the most lucrative homegrown contract in MLS history with the Philadelphia Union first team. That deal included a future agreement to join Manchester City when he turns 18. A couple months later, Sullivan made his first team debut against New England Revolution. In doing so, he became the youngest debutant in the history of the top North American sports leagues, not just MLS. He broke that record previously held by Freddy Adu, the most hyped American prospect of all time.

It took Cavan a little longer than usual to adjust to his new level, which makes sense considering going from academy to playing against grown men is the biggest step up a player can make. Nevertheless, his talent is shining through this season. Since the World Cup break, the 16 year old has been on an absolute tear in MLS. He’s been crucial to the Union’s success as they’ve gone nine games unbeaten. In that run, they picked themselves off of the basement of the league and have ascended into a playoff position. The personal output is also coming for Cavan. In his last seven appearances, Sullivan has contributed nine goal contributions. That number goes up to 11 when you add in secondary assists, which MLS counts. It’s safe to say he has been one of the best players in the league in the second half of the season.

The Case For A Call Up

This past cycle that culminated with the 2026 World Cup was a unique one for the USMNT. No new young players really broke into the squad, with the exception of Alex Freeman. That was largely because most of the squad was from the supposed “golden generation” that made their way through the ranks in the aftermath of the colossal failure in Couva. The generation of Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and many more big names have now missed their best chance to make a deep run in the World Cup.

Looking forward to 2030, the door is now wide open for the next group of players to break into the national team. Young talent that will have a big part to play in four years time should be integrated as soon as they’re ready to contribute on that stage. Cavan Sullivan has earned a chance to contribute based on his MLS play. Mauricio Pochettino hinted in a recent press conference that he may get that chance. 

“We are going to do a mix of experienced players,” Pochettino said on Monday. “I think experienced players with young players that can fit together and start to work, and how the young kids start to manage the pressure to play in the first team.” The Argentine also mentioned a few clubs by name that have young players he’s keeping an eye on. The first one he said? Philadelphia Union.

Cavan himself thinks he could help the national team. On his State of the Union podcast recently, former USMNT star Alexi Lalas asked Sullivan about the World Cup. The youngster spoke highly of the team and several moments, including Alex Freeman’s goal against Australia. “Thinking of that Belgium game, I think I could come into that game on the right side and make a difference,” added Sullivan. It’s that kind of confidence that has so many fans raving about the 16 year old, but has others wary of a dangerous mentality.

Maybe We Should Pump The Brakes

Cavan Sullivan plays the sport with a confident fearlessness. He’s never afraid of any opponent, even if they’re double his age or size. That same confidence was on display in his interview with Lalas that has now made headlines nationwide. One man who seems to have taken Cavan’s comments the wrong way is the very man Sullivan is auditioning for.

Pochettino was vocal in the press about the dangers of arrogance. “We are very happy to have all these potential good players, only we need to be careful,” the USMNT head coach said to the media. “When you are young, of course, you need to be confident. You need to have trust in yourself, but there is a limit. The balance is the most important, and one of our responsibilities is to protect these guys because sometimes if you play well and you are 17, 16 or 18, people start to talk about you are Messi or you are a big star in the world because you do a few good things. If you don’t manage it well, that can be dangerous for your career.”

Pochettino didn’t single anyone out by name, but that message is almost certainly aimed at one or two players in particular. Most likely, the 16 year old wonderkid with platinum blond hair that has been tipped for greatness for years. There’s no doubt that Cavan is extremely talented and has the potential to become one of the greatest players in USMNT history. However, it is important to proceed with caution. The U.S. has gone down this path before, with a kid whose records Sullivan keeps breaking.

The aforementioned Freddy Adu was one of the biggest examples of overhyping a talented youngster in world football, not just in the United States. Despite this, the media haven’t seemed to have learned their lesson. The MLS marketing team certainly haven’t. Off the back of Sullivan’s recent performances, they posted a graphic showing that he had broken Adu’s record for most goal contributions by a player 16 or younger in a season. The comparisons to Adu have been prevalent for as long as Sullivan has been garnering buzz. Cavan will eventually get his chance with the national team, but perhaps it’s better to wait for a more sustained run of form rather than a month long hot streak.

The Hooligan Take

Ultimately, all of the concerns about Cavan Sullivan are within reason. It’s fair to interpret his comments as arrogant or to be discouraged by constant comparisons to the biggest failed wonderkid in American history. However, if Cavan’s mentality really is an issue (which I don’t believe it is), the best way for him to learn the culture required for a USMNT player is to spend time with the national team. He can learn from Pochettino as well as the veterans in the squad.

I would call up Sullivan to the upcoming USMNT camp. Several other young talents such as his club teammate Neil Pierre and former USYNT teammates Julian Hall and Adri Mehmeti should also receive the call if healthy. As we collectively look ahead to the 2030 World Cup, this new generation of talent will play a key role and the time is right to start the integration process. The future is now.