Sullivan, 17, becomes youngest USMNT scorer in victory over Mexico

Cavan Sullivan, aged 17, became the youngest scorer in United States men's national team (USMNT) history during a 3-0 victory over rival Mexico on Saturday. Sullivan, a midfielder for Philadelphia Union, scored in the 62nd minute in Glendale, Arizona, intercepting a pass from Mexican goalkeeper Raúl Rangel and lobbing the ball into an unguarded net.

At 17 years and five days, Sullivan broke the record just four days after Mathis Albert had set the mark at 17 years and 131 days with his goal against Chile. The record was previously held by Christian Pulisic, who scored at 17 years and 253 days. "It's the biggest [pinch-me moment] ever," Sullivan stated to TNT Sports. "These are moments you dream of since you're 3, 4, 5, 6 years old. I manifested this moment, not just these past couple hours when I found out I was starting but my whole life."

Sullivan expressed gratitude for the coaches who entrusted him with the opportunity, calling the moment incredible for himself and his family. Moments after his goal, U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino shared an embrace with the young player when he was substituted a few minutes later.

Sullivan described his goal: "I just remember chipping the ball, hoping it didn't hit the crossbar or go over. I was getting nervous when it was in the air, and then it's a blur. I'm really happy that the guys ran down and celebrated with me; this team's really special."

This goal was Sullivan's third international appearance and came just a week after he became the youngest player to start for the U.S. since Freddy Adu in 2006. Sullivan's strike put the score at 2-0, following a goal from another teenager, 18-year-old Julian Hall, who opened the scoring off an assist from Gio Reyna. Hall is now the third player to score in his first three appearances for the USMNT, joining Eddie Johnson and Alexander Rae.

Saturday's match marked the first instance in USMNT history that the team scored in the first half for ten consecutive games. A red card issued to Mateo Chávez compounded a challenging evening for Mexico, and Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Malik Tillman added the final goal, marking his third in the last four USMNT appearances to secure the 3-0 win.

Under Pochettino’s leadership, the U.S. has now won all three friendlies since a disappointing exit from the World Cup against Belgium in the round of 16. This victory snapped a two-game losing streak against Mexico and marked the USMNT's largest margin of victory over their biggest foe since the 2023 Concacaf Nations League semifinals. Pochettino also became the seventh coach in USMNT history to reach 20 wins. The U.S. will conclude the September/October international window with a friendly against Canada on Tuesday.