The midfielder had already entered the top 10 of the States' all-time youngest players when making his debut againt Peru last week shortly before his 17th birthday. Now, he has moved to the top of the youngest goalscorer rankings, finding the back of the net with a fantastic lob shortly after the hour mark to double his nation's lead at the age of 17 years and five days. The Philadelphia Union ace, who will join Premier League side Manchester City next year, therefore displaces teammate Mathis Albert as the record holder just five days after the Borussia Dortmund youngster netted versus Chile.
After the game, Sullivan shared his delight. "These are the moments you dream of when you're a three, four, five or six-year-old," he explained. "I manifested this moment, not just these past couple of hours when I found out I was starting, but my whole life."
This is just the latest landmark in Sullivan's short but impressive career so far. He is already the youngest-ever player to play in the MLS, making his Philadelphia debut at the age of 14 years and 293 days to surpass Freddy Adu, while he has 10 goals and nine assists in all competitions for his club in 2026.
Sullivan's rise to prominence is another plus for Mauricio Pochettino and Co. during this international break. After their disappointing 4-1 round of 16 loss to Belgium at this summer's FIFA World Cup on home soil, the US had a point to prove, and they have responded well by winning their past three friendlies, netting at least thrice on each occasion. They will next be in action on Wednesday at 03.00 CEST, when they host Canada at Allianz Field in Minnesota.