Takeaways from the final night of the Republican National Convention

 

Cavan Sullivan, a 14-year-old prodigy for the Philadelphia Union, made headlines with his Major League Soccer (MLS) debut during the club’s 5-1 victory over the New England Revolution on Wednesday. At just 14 years and 293 days old, Sullivan set a new record as the youngest player to debut in any of the top North American professional sports leagues, including MLB, MLS, NBA, NFL, NHL, NWSL, and WNBA.

This milestone surpasses the previous record held by Freddy Adu, who debuted for DC United in 2004 at 14 years and 306 days. Adu took to X (formerly Twitter) to congratulate Sullivan, stating, “Big congrats to Cavan Sullivan for his record-breaking debut today. That’s a hard record to break and the kid did it. Well done and good luck, my man.”

Sullivan made his debut as a substitute in the 85th minute, receiving a warm reception from the fans at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania. After the game, Sullivan celebrated with his family on the field. His older brother, Quinn, a 20-year-old midfielder for the Union, scored in the 84th minute.

Despite the Union’s current position at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, this win was their fifth of the season. Reflecting on his debut, Sullivan remarked, “This was just the start. I’m really happy to have achieved this, but it’s just the first step—there’s a long journey ahead.” He emphasized his focus on continuing to develop and contribute to the Union’s season.

Sullivan expressed surprise at the enthusiastic support from the fans. “Every time I touched the ball, they went crazy,” he said. “I had envisioned this moment, but hearing the crowd’s reaction every time I had the ball was incredible.”

Since signing a four-year contract in May, the largest homegrown deal in MLS history, Sullivan has impressed with five starts for Philadelphia’s minor league team and scored in his last two games. ESPN reports that Sullivan’s contract includes a release clause that could see him move to English Premier League side Manchester City when he turns 18.

The Union will next take on Nashville SC at home this Saturday.