Cavan Sullivan is a finalist for Major League Soccer’s MVP award
The Union star is a long shot to win it, but much more likely to win the other prize he’s up for: Young Player of the Year.

Union phenom Cavan Sullivan got a nice surprise Thursday when he was named as a finalist not just for MLS’s Young Player of the Year award, but for Most Valuable Player.
The 17-year-old is the favorite to win the first of those prizes, which goes to the best player leaguewide age 22 or under. Red Bull New York’s Julian Hall and Adri Mehmeti are the other finalists.
Sullivan is not the favorite to win MVP, but it’s hard to see anyone begrudging the favorite there: Lionel Messi. His 26 goals made him the first player in league history to claim back-to-back Golden Boot titles as the league’s top scorer. He also had 14 assists.
Messi also fits the “most valuable” bill this season, not just the most outstanding one. Though Miami led the league with 80 goals scored, its defense gave up an unimpressive 59. Take Messi off the field, and some of the Herons’ 16 wins and 12 ties surely end up worse.
Sullivan’s consolation prize will be knowing he’s the youngest MVP finalist in league history, and the first teenager.
The other finalists are Cincinnati’s Evander, Houston’s Guilherme, and Nashville’s Hany Mukhtar.
» READ MORE: Cavan Sullivan’s veteran U.S. Soccer teammates have seen up close how good he is
Interim Union manager Ryan Richter did not make the league’s Coach of the Year finalists, though the three who did were hard to beat.
Nashville’s B.J. Callaghan, a Ventnor City, N.J., native, led his club to the Supporters’ Shield with a new season points record of 77. He is the favorite.
St. Louis’ Yoann Damet oversaw a league record 21-game unbeaten streak in his first season in charge, running from May to October before a late swoon.
Vancouver’s Jesper Sørensen has had his team atop the Western Conference almost all season, surviving injuries to stars and U.S. national team midfielder Sebastian Berhalter’s move to England after the World Cup.
» READ MORE: Ventnor City's B.J. Callaghan could be MLS's coach of the year. Could the USMNT come next?
The voting is finished, so the announcement of finalists is really about who finished atop the polls. Votes were cast by team technical staffs, players, and media, with each group getting one-third of the total.
























