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NewsFebruary 28, 2026

Two 16-Year-Olds Changed Soccer This Week and Last Summer. Now One Is Coming to Chattanooga.

On Thursday night, a 16-year-old from Philadelphia named Cavan Sullivan scored twice in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Last month, Spain announced they will set up their World Cup base camp at Baylor School — right here in Chattanooga. And somewhere in between, you realized this summer might be the most exciting thing this city has ever seen.

This is a story about age. About what happens when teenagers do things on a soccer field that grown adults cannot. And about why Chattanooga, of all places, is sitting at the center of it.

Cavan Sullivan: 16 Years Old, Already Making History

On February 26, Philadelphia Union forward Cavan Sullivan came off the bench against Defence Force FC of Trinidad and Tobago and scored twice — a left-footed strike in the 76th minute and a tap-in in the 88th. He added two assists for good measure. He is 16 years, 4 months, and 29 days old.

That made him the youngest American ever to score in the CONCACAF Champions Cup — the premier club competition across North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Only two players in the tournament's history have ever scored younger: Darixon Vuelto of Honduras (15 years old in 2013) and Alphonso Davies of Canada (15 years old in 2016, now a star at Real Madrid).

Sullivan is not new to "youngest ever" records. He made his MLS debut for the Union in July 2024 at 14 years old. He is widely considered the most exciting American prospect in a generation.

And the World Cup is three and a half months away.

Pelé: The Record Nobody Has Touched in 68 Years

Before we get too far ahead, let's talk about the standard. The untouchable one.

On June 19, 1958, a 17-year-old Brazilian named Edson Arantes do Nascimento — the world would come to know him as Pelé — scored against Wales in a World Cup quarterfinal in Gothenburg, Sweden. He was 17 years and 239 days old. It was the only goal of the match.

He was not done. He scored a hat trick in the semifinal against France. Then two more in the final against Sweden. Brazil won the World Cup, and Pelé became the youngest goalscorer in World Cup history and the youngest scorer in a World Cup final — records that still stand nearly seven decades later.

Nobody under 18 has scored in a World Cup since. The second-youngest scorer, Manuel Rosas of Mexico, was 18 years and 93 days old — and he did it in 1930. That is how far ahead Pelé was. That is how far ahead he remains.

This summer, the World Cup returns to North America for the first time since 1994. The question is not whether Pelé's record will fall. It almost certainly will not. The question is whether a new generation will write its own chapter.

Lamine Yamal: The Teenager Who Changed the Euros Forever

If you watched Euro 2024, you already know this name. If you did not, you are about to.

On July 9, 2024, in a European Championship semifinal between Spain and France in Munich, Lamine Yamal picked up the ball about 25 meters from goal and curled a left-footed shot past Mike Maignan and into the top corner. Spain won 2-1. They went on to win the entire tournament.

Yamal was 16 years and 362 days old — three days before his 17th birthday. He shattered the record for youngest scorer in European Championship history by over 18 months. The previous record holder, Switzerland's Johan Vonlanthen, was 18 when he scored in 2004.

But Yamal did not stop there. He became the youngest player to ever appear in a European Championship, the youngest to play in a World Cup or Euro semifinal (breaking Pelé's record), and the youngest to play in a World Cup or Euro final. He won Young Player of the Tournament. His goal against France was voted Goal of the Tournament. He finished runner-up for the 2024 Ballon d'Or — the highest placement ever for a teenager.

He turns 19 during the World Cup this summer. He plays for FC Barcelona. And he is expected to be one of the first names on Spain's squad list.

He Is Coming to Chattanooga

This is where the story gets local.

On January 30, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) officially announced that Spain will use Chattanooga as their base camp during the group stage of the 2026 World Cup. The squad will train at Baylor School — a 690-acre campus on the Tennessee River — and stay at the Embassy Suites downtown.

Spain plays two of their three group-stage matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, just two hours south. Their schedule:

  • June 15 — Spain vs. Cabo Verde (Atlanta)
  • June 21 — Spain vs. Saudi Arabia (Atlanta)
  • June 27 — Spain vs. Uruguay (Guadalajara, Mexico)

That means the number-one ranked team in the world — the reigning European champions, led by Lamine Yamal — will be living and training in Chattanooga for weeks. Walking the same streets. Eating at the same restaurants. Getting ready for the biggest sporting event on the planet, right here.

The Thread That Connects Them All

Pelé was 17 when he changed soccer forever. Yamal was 16 when he changed European soccer forever. Sullivan was 16 when he became the youngest American to score in continental competition.

The World Cup has always been a stage for the young. It is where legends announce themselves. And this summer, that stage is closer to Chattanooga than it has ever been — two hours down I-75 in Atlanta, and right here at Baylor School.

You do not need to fly anywhere. You do not need expensive tickets. You just need a screen, a crowd, and a reason to show up.

Sign up for World Cup watch parties in Chattanooga. Tell us where you want to watch, what kind of vibe you are looking for, and which teams you are following. We are connecting fans with local bars, restaurants, and outdoor venues to build the best watch party experience in the city.

Spain is bringing the World Cup to Chattanooga. The least we can do is show up.

Join the squad.

Sources