Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan made Major League Soccer history on Wednesday by becoming the youngest player ever to be named MLS Player of the Month, securing the award at just 17 years and two days old.
Sullivan surpasses Orlando City forward Daryl Dike, who previously held the mark when he earned the honor at 20 years and 98 days old in August 2020.
The milestone comes on the back of a dominant September for Philadelphia, where the Union went undefeated at 5-0-0. Sullivan spearheaded the attack, leading the league with nine goal contributions across the month by tying for the league lead with five assists and adding four goals.
His sparkling run included an eight-match streak with either a goal or an assist, establishing the longest such scoring streak by a teenager in MLS history.
For the season, the Philadelphia native has amassed seven goals and 12 assists across 1,450 regular-season minutes in 24 appearances (17 starts). His 19 total goal contributions tie him with Alphonso Davies (2018) for the second-most by a teenager in a single MLS campaign.
The achievement marks another major milestone in Sullivan’s career after he became the youngest player to debut in North American team sports history on July 17, 2024, at 14 years and 293 days old.
He also becomes the first player in league history to complete the full MLS Player Pathway—progressing from MLS NEXT to MLS NEXT Pro, entering the first team, and ultimately earning MLS Player of the Month honors.
