America’s next soccer wunderkind debuted last week. Santino Quaranta sees a bright future.

Last Saturday, two days before his 17th birthday, Cavan Sullivan debuted for the United States men’s national team. Perhaps the match was the start of a new era of American soccer.

Sullivan, the second-youngest debutant in modern USMNT history, is viewed as the next potential face of the sport in America. On Saturday, he’ll be part of a roster that will look to take down Mexico.

The Philly native made his Major League Soccer debut in July 2024 for the Philadelphia Union, becoming the youngest player ever to debut among the top North American professional sports leagues. His profile has only grown since, with dazzling runs down the pitch and dribbles that send opposing defenders to the grass.

Santino Quaranta has watched Sullivan from afar and sees a generational talent. He would know; two decades ago, the Baltimore native was viewed as one himself.

That makes him one of the few people in the world who understands the magnitude of expectations on Sullivan. And he thinks Sullivan has the makeup to handle them.

“The kid has one of the brightest futures we’ve seen in a long time,” said Quaranta, who played two years at Archbishop Curley before attending IMG Soccer Academy in Florida. “He has something different, this chip on his shoulder.”

Quaranta was selected eighth overall by D.C. United in the 2001 MLS SuperDraft at 16 years old, then became the youngest ever to play, start and score in Major League Soccer. After a strong rookie season, injuries derailed his career.

He made 15 appearances with the USMNT and scored one goal. Over the years, Quaranta detailed his journey with drug use and his path to sobriety.

Now he’s giving back to the game in Baltimore. He serves as the co-founder and technical director of Pipeline Soccer Club. It is Baltimore’s only Elite Club National League team and has won five national championships.

Quaranta got his first glimpse of Sullivan when his son’s team faced Sullivan’s years ago. His talent was apparent, even at age 10.

Quaranta’s cousin Brandon Quaranta, the head boys soccer coach at McDonogh and director of Pipeline’s boys ECNL team, said America has yet to produce a player who is considered among the best in the world. That, in his eyes, is Sullivan’s ceiling — a potential catalyst for the national team.

“A guy that you’re looking at that can not only play at most clubs at some point but also be a guy that is a difference-making player for the national team,” Brandon Quaranta said. “Special qualities: unlocking people in the dribble, unlocking people in the pass, being dynamic. The guys that you’re looking for in this country that there are few and far between.”

What Santino Quaranta appreciates most about Sullivan’s game is, while many players are encouraged to play within a system, Sullivan can “eliminate” defenders on his own by dribbling past them and creating scoring opportunities for himself and teammates.

He plays with “arrogance” — and that’s a good thing. To be a difference maker, Santino Quaranta said, Sullivan can’t worry about who is in front of him. When Quaranta watches him, he sees a 16-year-old version of himself.

“He wants to entertain the fans, like he takes pride in dribbling and trying things, and I got away from that a little bit,” Santino Quaranta said. “He’s the it guy.”

As Santino Quaranta became a seasoned player, he started to think more. About the responsibilities that came with being a star. About the mistakes he made in games that he never worried about as a teenager. Over time, the thoughts weighed on him.

Brandon Quaranta said Sullivan has been unfairly scrutinized for someone so young.

What remains to be seen is how Sullivan navigates future success, the watchful eyes of pundits around the world and the inevitable bumps in the road against higher levels of competition.

Santino Quaranta thinks Sullivan is equipped for stardom. Why? He believes in Sullivan’s confident disposition. The systems in place to help young players exceed what was available to him two decades ago. Ultimately, he hopes coaches around Sullivan encourage him to play his current “fearless” style.

“He’s going to continue to read about himself; he’s going to continue to see himself on commercials,” Santino Quaranta said. “It’s just about continuing to stay the course, man. He’s going to make lots and lots of money. It’s just about how he continues to keep his head down and enjoy that grind.”

Of course, Sullivan alone won’t change American soccer. No one player can. Questions persist about how America can take a step forward after this year’s disappointing 4-1 loss to Belgium in the Round of 16 of the World Cup.

The Quarantas believe America can advance further in tournaments to come. Still, it’ll take time. They scoffed at the idea that the development system is broken or that America’s pay-to-play structure alone is the reason for the lack of success.

The key to better results, both believe, is to put Americans in as many competitive environments as possible — even if teams can’t replicate the feeling of a World Cup.

Brandon Quaranta hopes more top Americans play in the best European leagues to gain experience in UEFA Champions League-like settings. Many European powers, Brandon Quaranta said, have benches filled with players who have performed at the highest level.

Still, the United States is facing an uphill battle.

“Here’s the reality: We’re playing catch-up,” Brandon Quaranta said. “Those nations aren’t staying where they are either. ... So it’s tough to close the gap, but that’s where I would start.”

The growth of MLS academies domestically has created more opportunities for elite players to start developing early.

In the meantime, they like the approach United States national team manager Mauricio Pochettino is taking: giving young players extended run in international friendlies. The more opportunities they get, the more Pochettino will have a sense of which players can handle pivotal moments.

Santino Quaranta is bullish that the United States is heading in the right direction in developing talent. Sullivan is a prime example.

“He’s not the only one in this crop,” said Quaranta, referencing forward Julian Hall and midfielder Adri Mehmeti. “These kids are real. And I think they’re all going to be similar in terms of moving forward in the way they carry themselves. But Cavan ... he has an aura about him. He can embrace the role. Some people can’t. He can.”

The U.S. men’s national team plays a friendly against Mexico at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Saturday. Kickoff is 10 p.m. The game will air on TNT.