Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan is expected to receive his first call-up to the United States men’s national team later this month, according to a source familiar with the squad selection. The source spoke anonymously because they were not permitted to publicly discuss the roster.
The US will play Chile, Peru, Mexico and Canada across late September and early October. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino is expected to reveal his squad on Thursday morning.
Sullivan, who became a professional player at 14, has long been regarded as a future US international. Since MLS resumed following this summer’s World Cup, he has delivered an impressive run of form, recording six goals and eight assists. Those performances have earned Pochettino’s attention. Sullivan also attracted notice earlier this month after saying during a podcast that he believed he could have contributed to the US team at the World Cup, where the side was eliminated by Belgium in the round of 16.
Pochettino responded by saying that the coaching staff closely monitors everything. He explained that talented players should be courageous and confident, but they must also prove themselves before making bold claims. In his view, only someone with achievements comparable to Lionel Messi’s eight Ballon d’Or awards has earned the right to speak with a degree of arrogance.
Should Sullivan feature during the upcoming international window, he would become the fourth-youngest player to represent the USMNT. Freddy Adu remains the youngest, having made his debut in a 2006 friendly against Canada when he was several months younger than Sullivan. However, Sullivan has already surpassed another long-held Adu record: when he debuted for the Union in 2024, he became the youngest athlete to appear in a game across North America’s major professional sports leagues.
Sullivan signed with the Union in May 2024. His agreement includes a move to Manchester City after he turns 18.
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