Another day, another Cavan Sullivan show

Cavan Sullivan is making the extraordinary look routine.

The 16-year-old produced another sensational performance on Monday, scoring twice and setting up another as Philadelphia Union thrashed San Diego FC 5-0 to extend their remarkable surge and strengthen the case for his first United States men's national team call-up.

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Sullivan opened the scoring just before half-time with the kind of finish that has become his trademark. The teenager raced into the box to meet Indiana Vassilev's low cross before flicking the ball with his backheel, sending it inside the far post.

And he wasn’t done there.

In the 62nd minute, Sullivan collected Vassilev's pass and drilled a finish past Duran Ferree from a tight angle for his first MLS brace.

Less than six minutes later, he showed another side of his game. Carrying the ball infield, Sullivan slowed the move before slipping a perfectly weighted pass through the San Diego defence to help create Philadelphia's third.

“First brace, it was pretty cool,” Sullivan told Apple TV. “I'm really happy to score those ones, but, like I said, three points matters the most.”

Sullivan's opening goal was perhaps the night's signature moment.

“I just remember darting in the box,” he said.

“He lifted his head up, so I knew it wasn't a blind ball. He saw me. We sort of made eye contact.”

“It felt perfect. He just found my back foot and I sort of just, yeah, like you said, back-heeled it. It was really special.”

Sullivan's latest display comes after a remarkable run of form since MLS resumed following the World Cup break.

He had already equalled Freddy Adu's record for the most MLS goal contributions by a player aged 16 or younger with 10, before moving beyond that mark with his goal against CF Montreal last weekend. MLS credited him with becoming the youngest player in league history to record a goal contribution in five consecutive matches.

Then came the Cincinnati demolition, when Sullivan supplied three assists in Philadelphia's 5-0 win. That extended his goal-contribution streak to six MLS matches and underlined how rapidly his influence has grown.

Now he has added his first MLS brace and another assist in San Diego.

The backheel made the headlines, but the greater significance may be that Sullivan is increasingly controlling matches rather than simply producing isolated moments of brilliance.

Is Pochettino ready?

That brings the USMNT into the conversation. Mauricio Pochettino is preparing for a new four-year cycle towards the 2030 World Cup and has spoken openly about using the next camp to introduce younger players. US Soccer says the 26-man squad will be announced on September 17, ahead of friendlies against Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada.

Sullivan is now one of the names generating the most interest.

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There is no need to rush a 16-year-old into senior international football simply because of a few spectacular weeks. But Sullivan is making the argument harder to ignore with every match.

He is scoring. He is creating. And increasingly, he is deciding games. For now, Philadelphia remains the priority.

But with Pochettino's first 2030-cycle squad approaching, Sullivan has given the USMNT coach a very difficult name to leave off the conversation.