Fourteen-year-old Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan made history on Wednesday night, becoming the youngest player to ever appear in Major League Soccer (MLS). At 14 years and 293 days old, Sullivan entered the match as a substitute in the 85th minute against the New England Revolution, surpassing Freddy Adu’s record from 2004 by about two weeks.
Sullivan’s debut coincided with a goal by his brother, Quinn, who scored to put Philadelphia ahead 5-1. This appearance makes Sullivan younger than any player who has competed in the NBA, NHL, NFL, NWSL, WNBA, or Major League Baseball since at least 1970, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The previous youngest debut in these leagues was Andrew Bynum, who played for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2005 at 18 years and 6 days old.
Additionally, the youngest debut in the five biggest soccer leagues globally since at least 1988 was Ethan Nwaneri, who made his first appearance for Arsenal in 2022 at 15 years and 181 days old, according to FBRef.com.
