It's all about the youth in MLS in 2026. Wednesday night's slate offered an intense look at two of the names that could find their way into the next wave of U.S. soccer stars: Cavan Sullivan and Julian Hall.
Cavan Sullivan Makes MLS History
For the 16-year-old Sullivan, who is bound for Manchester City once he turns 18, it marked his first MLS goal, making him the eighth-youngest player to score in an MLS regular-season match.
Despite a lack of minutes this season, the youngster entered the game and instantly changed the match for the Philadelphia Union. Entering in the 44th minute ahead of the halftime break, Sullivan was energetic throughout his performance, finding the net in the 75th minute of play, beating Orlando City's backstop and Canada's likely World Cup starting goalkeeper, Maxime Crépeau, after making a perfect pass and run to the penalty spot for a first-touch finish.
While his performance stood out, as he created five chances and had two shots in addition to his goal, it wasn't enough for the Union to scrape out a result, falling 4–3 to Orlando.
Thriving in those minutes could prove a pivotal point for Sullivan. Previously, he had scored three goals and two assists in Concacaf Champions Cup action, but had struggled to gain consistent playing time under manager Bradley Carnell—with Wednesday's performance potentially shifting that trend.
Julian Hall's Record Hat-Trick
As much as Sullivan has taken on plenty of attention with an agreement to join the blue side of Manchester, he hasn't been the top young star in MLS in 2026—that's Julian Hall.
The 18-year-old, who in the earliest stages of his professional career was unable to play into the evening due to New Jersey labor laws for minors, stunned in Red Bull New York's 3–2 win over the Columbus Crew, with a first-half hat-trick.
A Polish-American dual national, the output brought Hall's total to 12 goals and 3 assists in 15 games across all competitions this season. In MLS, he's up to nine goals as well, tied for third in the Golden Boot race, led by Inter Miami's Lionel Messi's 11.
His hat-trick made him the youngest player at 18 years and 50 days to score an MLS hat-trick, eclipsing U.S. men's national team striker Ricardo Pepi's record, which previously sat at 18 years and 196 days.
However, hopes of him making his way to the USMNT could be less than assured. Hall, who wears his mother's name, Zakrzewski, on the back of his kit, has been actively recruited by Poland, with Polish Football Federation president Cezary Kulesza meeting with Hall's mother in New York in April to discuss his potential future with the Polish national team.
Neither youngster is likely to be at the upcoming World Cup, given the competitive nature of the USMNT and Poland's failure to qualify, but both could be key pieces to their MLS sides moving forward, while offering impressive potential to the future of U.S. Soccer.
Youngest Players to Score in MLS History
- 1. Freddy Adu (14 years, 254 days)
- 2. Kwadwo Opoku (15 years, 193 days)
- 3. Josimar Martinez (15 years, 231 days)
- 4. Sebastian Lletget (15 years, 303 days)
- 5. Ricardo Pepi (16 years, 137 days)
- 6. Benja Cremaschi (16 years, 155 days)
- 7. Alejandro Bedoya (16 years, 233 days)
- 8. Cavan Sullivan (16 years, xxx days)