The Youngest Players in MLS History

Becoming a professional athlete at a young age is simply baffling, but it gets very impressive when they start setting the records for the youngest. There’s a handful of sports where this can be the case, and in team sports, it’s not always as present, although you’re about to see just how young several players can be to make it in the big leagues.

Particularly in the MLS, there have been many signings, especially in the last five to ten years of young prospects on the rise. In this article, we’ll outline the youngest MLS players to make an appearance, what team they played for, when their first professional game was and how old they were at the time.

#5. Axel Kei – Real Salt Lake (2023) – 15 years, 288 days old

Starting the list of youngest MLS players to make an appearance is the oldest teen, Axel Kei, at 15 years old. Only just being signed that year, Axel would make his entry debut on October 15th, 2023, and at the time be the fourth youngest player to play a game in Major League Soccer.

He’d play for 10 minutes in a 2-2 draw against a well-known LA Galaxy squad. While he’s now merely the fifth youngest player in the MLS as of 2024, he clearly still has an incredibly bright future in the game.

#4. Alphonso Davies – Vancouver Whitecaps FC (2016) – 15 years, 257 days old

Alphonso Davies would play his first game for the Vancouver Whitecaps at just 15 years old in 2016. He’d be only 31 days younger than Axel Kei during their respective debuts, although Davies would be during the MLS Canadian Championship against Ottawa Fury FC.

Either way, playing at such a young age is not something most pro athletes could even do, and Davies himself would eventually get signed by Bayern Munich (2019) and win the UEFA Champions League (2020) and the German Bundesliga (2022).

#3. Julian Hall – New York Red Bulls (2023) – 15 years, 190 days old

Coming on as a late sub for the NY Red Bulls against the Chicago Fire just last year in September of 2023, the 15-year-old Julian Hall would beat Axel Kei’s record for the youngest player to play in the MLS by a margin of 98 days.

While a difference of 90 days may not matter when you’re that young, it gives Julian Hall the edge over Kei and Davies in this particular list.

#2. Freddy Adu – D.C. United (2004) – 14 years, 306 days old

The now 34-year-old Freddy Adu was the original record-setter for the youngest player in MLS history. On April 3rd, 2004, Adu was subbed in the second half against San Jose Earthquakes at just 14 years and 306 days old.

At the time that made him not only the youngest player to ever appear in the MLS, but the youngest player to appear in any US professional sports at the time. Unfortunately for Freddy Adu, his title has fallen, as an even more junior phenom has since arrived on the big stage.

#1. Cavan Sullivan – Philadelphia Union (2024) – 14 years, 293 days old

The current record holder and youngest player to make an MLS appearance is none other than Cavan Sullivan of the Philadelphia Union 2024 squad. Getting subbed on at just 14 years and 293 days old, Sullivan would help blowout the New England Revolution in a 5-1 win on July 17, 2024.

At this age, Sullivan is the youngest player to appear on the field in the pro sports scene overall. This is a magnificent achievement, although, the way trends are going the talent pool might get even younger and more talented over the next decade. We will just have to wait and see about that!