Cavan Sullivan’s form, Mathis Albert’s rise and the five key takeaways for the U.S. U17s ahead of World Cup knockouts

This felt like a big tournament for Sullivan. The hype around the Philadelphia Union product was immense just a year ago. But since then, his star has faded a little. His MLS minutes were few, and his only start came in the U.S. Open Cup. This future Man City player was largely playing in MLS Next Pro.

The U17 World Cup, then, felt significant. Sullivan needed to perform here, if only to show that he still has that bit of quality to show that he can still make a difference for club and country. And he has shown up in style. Sullivan came off the bench in the U.S.'s opening game against Burkina Faso, complete with a new haircut and a brash attitude about him. His impact was almost immediate. The U.S. were struggling, and the Union product offered the piece of magic necessary to pick up a result. Sullivan responded with a Panenka penalty to give them a 1-0 win.

He was even better in the second game, making an impact from the start. He began the game in a deeper role, but was an active presence throughout, scoring one and assisting another as the U.S. beat Tajikistan, 2-1. He had two good efforts at goal against Czechia, in the game after, and was unfortunate not to find the net as the U.S. managed a 1-0 win. Early days, but the signs are good.

If Sullivan is the known quantity of the U.S., then Albert is the wildcard. Sure, he has already made some noise at Dortmund, but he remains a raw playmaker, the kind of kid to get excited about - but not place expectations on. Some who have worked with him extensively insist that he, not Sullivan, is the best player in his age group. That may or may not be true, but the reality remains: Albert should perform here.

And his efforts to do so started pretty poorly. He watched from the bench while Sullivan bagged the winner in the first game. He was much better in the second, scoring off a Sullivan assist. And then, he made the difference in the third, bursting into the box before providing a lovely curved finish around a helpless goalkeeper. It was a moment that showed how good this U.S. side can be, full of athleticism and movement - capped off with a deadly final touch.

And how about at the other end? Sure, the U.S. has attacking quality in spades, and can match up player-for-player with pretty much anyone outside the absolute elite. Still, their defensive showings have been even better. There is the caveat that they have yet to face an attacking force, but the unit looks pretty good at the moment. The raw numbers are good: one goal conceded, 10 shots on target allowed across three games.

But there's more to it than that. The U.S. have had the majority of the ball in two of their three games thus far, while captain Christopher Cupps, the six-foot-three center back, who featured for Chicago Fire II last year, has been excellent as a one-on-one defender. Sure, there will be tougher challenges to come, but thus far, the Americans have looked wonderful defensively. That will absolutely have to continue in the knockouts.

A word, too, for the numbers. The U17 World Cup has, historically, been a tricky stage for the Americans. Their best performance remains fourth place in 1999. They haven't made the last eight since 2017, and were bounced in the last 16 in 2023 (although they ran into an excellent Germany side).

Still, they have made everything look remarkably easy thus far, and are the second U.S. side in history to win all three group games at the competition. The last time that happened was 1991 - before the real advent of the U.S. as a soccer power.

There is one issue, ahead of the U.S.'s Round of 32 matchup with Morocco: their opponents have beaten them at pretty much every level in recent years. It started in 2024, when the Atlas Lions emphatically bounced the U.S., 4-0, in the Paris Olympics quarter final. Last month, they beat the U20s, 3-1, at the same stage of the World Cup. More broadly, the U.S. has struggled against African teams historically, with a 5-8-1 record against sides from the African football federation.

Yet this iteration of Morocco is a little different. They have admittedly struggled at the U17 World Cup, squeaking through their group with just three points after losing to Portugal and Japan, before battering New Caledonia. Their eight goals conceded certainly offer hope for the Americans against a bit of a bogey opponent for the Americans.

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