By Chester Charter Healthy Highlights reporters | Picture this: Two brothers who are on the same professional soccer team compete against each other for a starting spot
That may happen because Quinn and Cavan Sullivan are both midfielders for the Philadelphia Union.
“It’s going to be really interesting,” said Quinn, the older brother. “It’s going to be a fun little household competition. And you know, we will still love each other at the end of the day, and we’ll be happy for each other.”
Quinn said he has competed against Cavan, who is six years younger, since they were boys practicing in the basement of their family home. They also have
twin brothers who play college soccer.
The family competition motivated Quinn and helped him improve. “Because,” he said, “you can’t let your brother beat you at anything. You know what I mean?”
Quinn said he always dreamed about playing on the same professional team as one of his brothers. “But I didn’t think that it would happen this quickly,” he said.
He said the best part about being on the same team with Cavan is that they drive to and from the stadium together. They talk “about what’s going on with the team, all the little things that you get to share with someone that I never got to do” before Cavan joined the team in 2024.
Quinn admires Cavan, especially his determined focus. He wants to do better all the time. From a young age, Cavan always tried new moves, worked hard, and learned by watching a lot of soccer videos, Quinn said.
“As a brother, the best thing about Cavan is that he’s honest. He can take criticism and not get upset about it. I don’t think a lot of people can do that,” Quinn said. “It’s impressive.”
Quinn has accomplished a lot as well. He has been a member of the U.S. Men’s Soccer Team and he was ranked sixth among all Major League Soccer players under 22 in 2025. Union fans also voted him the 2025 Independence Blue Cross player of the year.
Quinn and Cavan likely will go their separate ways late next year. When Cavan turns 18, he will move to England to play for Manchester City, one of the top soccer teams in the world.
If he ever played against his brother, Quinn said he would try his hardest. And he said he is “100 percent” sure he would win.
Illustration by Tajah, 5th grade, CCSA, 2025-26.
