Cavan Sullivan Joins Exclusive Club of MLS Sibling Players

How Many Sibling Duos Have Competed Together in Major League Soccer?

The 14-year-old soccer prodigy Cavan Sullivan made history by becoming the youngest player ever to appear in an MLS match.

In the 85th minute, Sullivan who is only 14 years and 293 days old entered the field for the Philadelphia Union in place of Tai Baribo. When Freddy Adu made his debut in 2004 at the age of 14 years and 306 days he smashed that record.

He stepped onto the field for the Philadelphia Union he not only made a new record but also joined a unique group of brothers who have played together in Major League Soccer.

Soccer: A Family Affair

Soccer often brings families together and MLS is no exception. Over the years many brothers have shared the pitch either as teammates or opponents.

Famous examples include Michael and Brian Laudrup Ronald and Frank De Boer and the Neville brothers in Europe.

In MLS the Higuaín brothers, Federico and Gonzalo, recently made headlines by playing together for Inter Miami. They first shared the field in a 1-1 draw against Atlanta United on October 14, 2020, and went on to play 25 games together.

Before the Higuaíns, the Chará brothers, Yimmi and Diego, played together for the Portland Timbers. They previously teamed up in Colombia with Deportes Tolima. Other sibling duos include Chicago Fire’s Gabriel and Nicholas Slonina and Seattle Sounders’ Cristian and Alex Roldan.

In total, 18 pairs of brothers have played together in MLS matches. With Cavan Sullivan’s debut for the Union, he now joins his older brother Quinn Sullivan on this prestigious list.

Brothers Who Have Played Together in MLS

BrothersTeamYears
Chris and Sean HendersonColorado Rapids1996-1998
Alexi and Greg LalasNew England Revolution1997
Judah and Micah CooksDC United2000-2001
DaMarcus and Jamar BeasleyChicago Fire2001
Martin and Fausto KlingerMetroStars2001
Daouda and Ibrahim KanteNew England Revolution2003
Brian and Jeff CarrollDC United2006-2007
Jim and Jeff CurtinChicago Fire2007
Chris and Stephen WondolowskiHouston Dynamo2008
Gabriel and Michael FarfanPhiladelphia Union2011-2012
Bradley and Shaun Wright-PhillipsNew York Red Bulls2015
Jose and Jaime VillarrealLA Galaxy2017
Giovani and Jonathan dos SantosLA Galaxy2017-2018
David and Mathieu ChoiniereMontreal Impact2018
Cristian and Alex RoldánSeattle Sounders2018-2020
Diego and Yimmi CharáPortland Timbers2020
Gabriel and Nicholas SloninaChicago Fire2020
Federico and Gonzalo HiguaínInter Miami CF2020

With Cavan Sullivan making his debut, the MLS sibling tradition continues to grow, showcasing the unique family connections in the sport.

Also Read: Marco Reus closing in on MLS move to LA Galaxy: Dortmund legend to see off illustrious career away from European glamor?

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