Is this possible? A front 4 of Pulisic, Reyna, Sullivan and Balogun could be very dangerous (even to top 10 teams) if all the stars align…which is unlikely.
I understand that. I’m intimately familiar with the Adu debacle. If anyone is deeply familiar with Sullivan, is it even a possibility?
With an overwhelming 70.5% of the votes...@PhilaUnionII Cavan Sullivan's first professional goal earns the 14-year-old Goal of Matchweek 17 honors! https://t.co/JDVNi16WPR pic.twitter.com/n57eojmVnZ— MLS NEXT Pro (@MLSNEXTPRO) July 9, 2024
If he's gonna have his breakout he basically has to do what Paez, Kendrick and Yamal have done: become regulars with their club teams before major tournaments. He'll turn '15 in two months, and we'll see if he can earn some playing time over the next 3 months. He is almost certainly going to have to break out with Philly in 2025 to have any chance whatsoever of this happening. My guess is, it will not happen because he will have to make enormous strides over the next 18 months to make it happen. But it is possible. Lets just remember, he will be younger than Pulisic was and Reyna was when they broke out with Dortmund, by the time of the WC. Its unfortunate for him, if he continues to develop, avoids injury, and keeps his head on straight, that the next WC is going to come when he is so young, my guess is, if he's as good as advertised, he will break through with the national team winter '26/'27 to summer '27. Basically a year too late for the WC. We'll see. Need to give him time, simply check in w/how things are going for him with Philly. Honestly, I think the easiest way to get the answer with this, will be if Man City is bringing him over at some point in the next 18 months, if they decide to do so, it's a sign that he's ready, otoh, if he's doing what Luna is doing right now (at 20) next season, well, he's ready.
The big thing is though there was a big difference between Yamal this summer and Endrick and Paez. Yamal very much stood out compared to those two and it’s rare for a player to be that good that young. If Sullivan makes the team he’s likely to be closer to Endrick or Paez (or not play at all). Yamal was good enough to break through and be a starter and key player for Barcelona at a very young age. Cavan Sullivan could be very very good and not be at that level. And he’s probably not making a European move till summer 2026 at the soonest (which would be to Girona likely if he moved at that point). Spain also surrounds Yamal with much more talent than we have or will hope to have by 2026. For Cavan Sullivan it’d be a big deal if he makes the roster. But even if he does I’m expecting very little impact from him.
What a sublime goal he had today. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5627602/2024/07/09/perfection-by-lamine-yamal/
He has a lot going for him including: There is a desperate need for a left-footed scoring option who can play inverted. Cavan does not have a frail physique, like a teenage Aaronson had. Unlike Adu, Sullivan looks to have some work-rate and bite in his game. He is already a professional The Union tend to bring through tactically sound, mature professionals The hype of a contract with ManCity. US Soccer and the media love that Euro-shine. In conclusion: He has a clear path to a role with the Senior National Team. It's not like he's a central midfielder having to compete with our existing pool. But he first needs to be excelling with the Union first team by sometime next season. Take things from there.
There is a big difference. Jamal is a winger which is speed/skill/strength. But Kentrick, Paez, and Calvin are playing center that require more. Maybe a better comparison is indeed Donovan and Pulisic.
Does he have Pulisic quicks? He looks pretty quick in that highlight. His brother is not slow so maybe it runs in the family. Im gonna be bold and say no chance for ‘26, but I look forward to Copa ‘28!
We've had this debate on the youth forums for a while now. The debate goes around in circles. We all get excited and say it's possible. And then we get mad for getting too far ahead of ourselves. Then he does something, and we start the cycle over again. If it happens, Cavan would be the youngest player to ever play at a World Cup. He (or any player currently of this age) more than likely won't have done enough as a pro to warrant inclusion. He just scored his first goal for Philadelphia II after all. With Phillys Olympic and likely U20 CONCACAF Championships callups, there's a strong suspicion that Cavan will get on the bench soon for the fiirst team as a 14 year old. Unlike Adu, Sullivan has gone step by step thru the academy ranks and excelled. Crushed the U15 level, so was moved up to the U17s. Crushed the U17s so now is up too the MLSNP team as a 14 year old. So now we see how he does in MLSNP. Step by step he keeps pushing his way up based on performance. Just like a player would in Europe. Its not like its easy to break into the USMNT as a young player in attacking positions right now. Heck, its not easy to get a U23 spot with all the depth we have in the AMC/wing positions. We've been having this vigorous debate about Aaronson, Yow, Booth, Paredes, Esmir, Luna, Cowell, Gutierrez, Kamungo, etc. etc. for the U23s. Look at the stats that Gutierrez and Luna have, and they can't get into the U23 team for heaven's sake. Look at the stats that guys like Zendejas and Mihailovic have in first team soccer, and they're fringe USMNTers. I think people have it right. its possible, but highly unlikely. Its MORE possible that a player like Paxten Aaronson or Taylor Booth or somebody of that ilk has a breakout in the Eredevisie to claim these fringe minutes on the USMNT. Cuz Reyna, Tillman and those guys aren't going anywhere either.
Also....................its not like Lamine Yamal is a surprise or something. He played in 50 freakin' games for Barcelona this season. So he was already excelling at the highest levels of the sport. Played in 10 Champions League games. The timeline doesn't work for Sullivan unless he absolutely crushes the 2025 MLS season as a 15/16 year old. Crushes it to the point that he gets into January 2025 camp and becomes an undeniable inclusion. Or moves to Europe for the second half of their 2025/2026 season and starts playing right away at a high level. Possible? I guess. Likely? Hell no. We're talking about a kid that hasn't even played for the US U17s yet. Heck, he's been playing "up an age group" with our U16s recently. Sullivan is a prospect. Prospect is Latin for "hasn't done squad yet." So let's let performance be the judge.
People reference him as a cross between Pulisic and Donovan, but probably his style of play (what he does that a plus) is more the Donovan Assist piece. He has that playmaking thing that Donovan had. He also got a stupid haircut at 14 like Donovan did at 16/17, so clearly precocious. He's got pace. I don't think he's insanely fast, but it's definitely not a problem.
In regards to my own view of his chances, I was on about 5% 18 months ago, dropped to about .5% last summer and fall, and as he's accelerated with club the past five months or so, I've moved the odds to 3-5% again. Highly unlikely he's WC relevant, but a 1 in 20 to 1 in 30 chance? I think that's there.
Sounds about right. If he comes in and excels right away in MLS next year, then we can revisit the topic. And he'd have to excel beyond the level of guys like Luna and Gutierrez. Those guys have been putting down numbers in MLS, and can't get into the US U23s much less the USMNT. Mihailovic and Zendejas are having big impact in their leagues, and are fringe USMNTers. Its not easy to get into the USMNT when the games matter. If Mihailovic's 10 goals and 9 assists midway thru an MLS season don't impress folks, then what is Sullivan going to have to do? In his last 2.5 seasons in MLS combined, Mihailovic has 23 goals and 31 assists. [That's obviously skipping his adventure in Holland.]
Don't know much about him but I can say I'm pretty sure that MOST 14 year olds will get quicker (much quicker some) between 14 and 16. If he is quick compared to adults now, than he it looks good for that aspect of his play. It is only when comparing to age peers that fast/quick players often lose out as they age. A kid that is "fast" at 12 or 14 compared to other kids his age will lose some or even most of that edge if others gain more speed and quickness comparatively.
In a 32 team Cup, to me, the last roster spot is as much about squad makeup as the player quality. So maybe Cavan gets that last spot to give him a dry run with the media attention before 2030, when he should be an important piece. In a 32 team Cup, realistically, a coach should set the US up to win a 5th match. Pick a squad and rotate players so you have the best chance of making the semis because that’s our ceiling without insane luck. But the 48 team cup means that 5th match is now the 6h match. And a nation with our talent, playing at home, should aspire to at least that, winning a quarterfinal. With injuries and cards, IMO, that is an argument for not wasting a single roster spot, not even 3rd keeper, on vibes rather than talent. You might need that player.
Of course those sort of states are different from a 16 year old versus a 25 year old. If Cavan Sullivan is really more of an 8 that helps a ton too (as a guy like Mihailovic is such that you basically have to run the system to maximize his ability to get the most out of him).
we don't need a lamine yamal we need a late bloomer who spent their teens and early twenties partying and playing lower division soccer like luca toni or jamie vardy