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SOCCER

Cavan Sullivan, 17, joins Lionel Messi on MLS MVP shortlist

The Philadelphia Union midfielder is the league’s first teenage MVP finalist and is also up for Young Player of the Year.

By TSP Staff
Cavan Sullivan playing for the Philadelphia Union
Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan against New York City FC on Nov. 23, 2025. · Credit: Bryan Berlin / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan became the first teenager named a finalist for Major League Soccer’s MVP award when the league announced its shortlist Thursday. The 17-year-old joins Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi, who has won the award the past two seasons, along with Cincinnati’s Evander, Houston’s Guilherme and Nashville’s Hany Mukhtar.

Messi scored a league-high 26 goals and added 17 assists in 31 regular-season matches. Sullivan finished with nine goals and 14 assists in 29 appearances and is also a finalist for Young Player of the Year. MLS will announce the winners during the playoffs, which open Nov. 19.

Sources and notes

  1. https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/major-league-soccer-announces-finalists-for-2026-year-end-awards
  2. https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/inter-miami-cf-forward-lionel-messi-wins-2026-mls-golden-boot-presented-by-audi
  3. https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/lionel-messi-finalist-third-straight-mls-mvp-award--flm-2026-11-12/
  4. https://www.inquirer.com/soccer/cavan-sullivan-mls-mvp-lionel-messi-20261112.html