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Cavan Sullivan headlines the 2026 MLS year-end awards after becoming the youngest player to ever be nominated for MVP—an award he could realistically win to deny Lionel Messi a historic third triumph in a row.
Sullivan was 14 years old when he signed the most expensive homegrown deal in MLS history, with a clause that will see him join Manchester City after turning 18. Two months later, he became the youngest player to appear in a league match for a major professional sports league in the United States and Canada.
This season, Sullivan has made the leap from promising youngster to bona fide first-team star, proving himself capable of making a difference in MLS. Having failed to score or assist in his first 19 appearances for the Philadelphia Union, Sullivan kicked off 2026 by registering his first senior assist against Trinidad and Tobago's Defence Force in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
He did one better in the return leg, scoring his first two senior goals and adding two assists in a 7–0 demolition as Philadelphia advanced to the Round of 16 with a 12–0 aggregate victory. Sullivan would then grab his first MLS assist on Apr. 4 at Charlotte before scoring his first MLS goal on May 13 in Orlando. Little did he know, he was paving the way for an MVP-worthy breakout campaign.
Cavan Sullivan puts @PhilaUnion ahead as they look for a win today to avoid the Wild Card Round. 👀
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) November 7, 2026
📺 Apple TV: https://t.co/QRhwyq7fuJ pic.twitter.com/49dlihKwu3
Since the start of August, Sullivan has taken his game up another level and has racked up eight goals and 10 assists in 14 MLS appearances, as well as a goal and an assist against Necaxa in the Leagues Cup. Sullivan has emerged as the lifeblood of a Philadelphia Union side that has completed one of the most improbable turnarounds in recent MLS history—they will now face New England Revolution in the opening round of the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Sullivan ranks first in the Union’s squad for assists (14), goal contributions (23), successful dribbles per 90 (2.6) and confirmed his status among the best players in MLS. For a team that had gone from lifting their first Supporters’ Shield to leading the Wooden Spoon race in the span of a few months, his ascent could not have come at a better time.
The Union found themselves at the bottom of the league going into the World Cup break, but they bounced back in meteoric fashion thanks to Sullivan’s superb displays, finishing sixth in the Eastern Conference. In doing so, they became the first team in MLS history to reach the playoffs after earning seven or fewer points from their first 15 matches, shattering Seattle Sounders' previous record of 12 points in 2018.
Sullivan’s meteoric rise has not gone unnoticed by USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino, who handed him his international debut during the September/October window. After starting against Peru and coming off the bench against Chile, Sullivan etched his name into the history books against Mexico, becoming the youngest goalscorer in USMNT history with a long-range thunderbolt that doubled the Americans’ lead over their bitter rivals in Texas.
The teenager has retained his place in the squad for this month’s Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals against Haiti, and while Pochettino looks set to depart for Manchester United, his successor will surely be eager to build around one of American soccer’s brightest young talents.
Sullivan’s importance has become so pronounced that his absence is often felt just as keenly as his presence. With the teenager sidelined by an ankle injury, the Union suffered a 2–1 defeat at New England Revolution, their first MLS loss in five months, before drawing at Nashville and falling to Cincinnati.
However, Sullivan returned to the starting XI with a vengeance on Decision Day, scoring twice as the Union thrashed Toronto FC 4–1 to clinch an automatic playoff berth. He opened the scoring before doubling Philadelphia’s advantage after halftime, providing a timely reminder of just how indispensable he has become.
He only just turned 17 two months ago, but Sullivan has confirmed his status as one of the best players in North America, and it’s no surprise that he’s been included amongst the finalists for the Landon Donovan MLS MVP. Other candidates include Evander (FC Cincinnati), Guilherme (Houston Dynamo FC), Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC) and Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF), who is eyeing a three-peat of the MLS MVP award.
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