It was March 2024, and Apple TV analyst Taylor Twellman was gushing, posting on social media that Manchester City scouts believed Cavan Sullivan was the "best 14-year-old in the world."
A member of the Philadelphia Union academy at the time, Sullivan went on to break Freddy Adu's record that summer by becoming the youngest player to debut in MLS, and signed the largest homegrown deal the league had ever seen - which included a clause that, upon turning age 18, he would join the Premier League giants in Manchester.
A U.S. youth international across various age groups, with continental competition experience at the youth level, Sullivan is a bonafide rising star. The 15-year-old has even expressed his ambitions to be a member of the USMNT's 2026 World Cup squad, even though he would only be 16 when the tournament kicks off.
In the modern game, could a 16-year-old be a relevant game-changer?
Lamine Yamal led Spain to a EURO title last summer at 17. Pele led Brazil to a World Cup win at 17 in 1958. Kylian Mbappe was 18 when he helped France to a World Cup win in 2018. Michael Owen, at 18, scored twice for England at the 1998 World Cup. In 2014, 19-year-old Julian Green scored with his first touch off the bench for the USMNT in a quarterfinal against Belgium.
WATCH: Sullivan continues dominance in MLS Next Pro
Some teenagers have become regular contributors at the professional level, but more often than not, those who remain contributors beyond their teenage years? They tend to be considered into generational talents.
On the contrary, there also have been teenagers labeled generational after breaking out at a young age who, a decade into their professional careers, are looked at as "could have beens." The list is long, from Alexandre Pato and Hachim Mastour to Bojan Krkic and Ravel Morrison and - most notably from a U.S. perspective - Adu.
There's a certain care that needs to be taken with child prodigies, of course, but at the same time, if they're ready, should they held back? Slotted as the 30th-best teenager in the world on GOAL's most recent NXGN rankings, Sullivan has the potential to be one of the greatest soccer players the country has ever produced.
Which begs the question: where is he? Why is he not a regular with Philadelphia's senior side in MLS? What is his timetable? GOAL takes a look at the 15-year-old's development since signing his contract last summer, where he stands with the Union, and what the next few months have in store.
