MIAMI — Cavan Sullivan, a promising 15-year-old player in Major League Soccer, has set his sights on representing the United States in the upcoming World Cup in 2026.

He acknowledges that this aspiration might be perceived as overly ambitious.

You can’t fault the young star from the Philadelphia Union for having high ambitions.

“Playing in the 2026 World Cup would be a dream come true. I’ll be just 16, and to represent the U.S. national team in front of my home country would be incredible,” Sullivan expressed to YSL News Sports during MLS Media Day on Thursday.

“Ultimately, my goals are to win a World Cup, a Champions League, a Premier League title, and to fulfill my potential. I also have my sights set on winning an MLS Cup in the next three years.”

While Sullivan may not yet be widely recognized, he possesses immense talent.

He made headlines last July by being the youngest player to debut in a major American sports league. Additionally, he was selected by Lionel Messi and adidas as one of ten up-and-coming soccer talents to join the “Messi+10” team and don Messi’s F50 cleats. Sullivan plans to spend three years with the Union before moving to Manchester City in England when he turns 18.

“I’m taking it day by day. There’s so much to look forward to, but my current focus is Philadelphia,” Sullivan stated.

“I realize that nothing else matters unless I show I can perform here in MLS before moving to the Premier League. There’s plenty of work to do.”

Sullivan has the potential to become the American soccer equivalent of Caitlin Clark, the 22-year-old basketball player who has significantly advanced her sport’s profile in the U.S. over the past two years.

He could also follow in the footsteps of Lamine Yamal, a 17-year-old soccer star who made an impression at the European Championships for Spain last summer.

Although the U.S. men’s national team is not currently favored to win the World Cup, just advancing past the group stage, a feat they failed to achieve in last summer’s Copa America, would be a significant milestone.

The U.S. squad needs fresh talent, aside from captain Christian Pulisic, to make further progress in international soccer.

Perhaps Sullivan could be the spark that ignites this change.

Sullivan refrained from confirming any interactions with the U.S. national team, which has recently hired Mauricio Pochettino as the new head coach.

Last year, Sullivan trained with the U.S. under-17 national team. He is expected to participate in February’s Concacaf U-17 championship and also the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar in 2025.

This international experience could pave the way for Sullivan’s participation in the World Cup.

“As a country, we are evolving in international soccer. If we aim to be the best, we really need to elevate our standards,” he said.

A vital part of his plan is to earn more playing time with the Union’s first team in 2025 to make his dream a reality.

Last season, Sullivan only played in three MLS games with the Philadelphia Union and was available as a substitute in ten others.

However, he gained valuable experience with the Union’s MLS NEXT Pro team, scoring five goals and assisting three times across 17 games.

Sullivan debuted for the Union at just 14 years and 293 days old, when he came on in the 85^th minute during Philadelphia’s 5-1 victory over the New England Revolution on July 17, 2024.

This made him younger than Freddy Adu, who was once heralded as “the next Pele,” when Adu debuted for D.C. United in 2004 at 14 years and 306 days old.

Perhaps history will repeat itself with Sullivan following in Adu’s footsteps in the coming years.

Adu was just 16 when he became the youngest player for the USMNT in 2006.

“This year is crucial for me if I want to achieve my dreams. If I can really shine this year, it will make my ambitions significantly easier,” Sullivan explained.

“I believe this year is possibly the most important year of my life so far. And while 2024 was a big year for me, this one is the next crucial step.”