Their time is now.
At least, that's how it feels for Mexico's Gilberto Mora and the United States' Cavan Sullivan.
Sure, they are still just boys, Sullivan having celebrated his 17th birthday last week, Mora hitting 18 later this month. But their future paths look so certain: Sullivan still on track to head to Manchester City after he turns 18, Mora ready for a move this winter or in the summer to one of the top clubs in the world, having re-signed with Club Tijuana and brought on a high-powered agent to pave the way.
The two players are different from each other, but they have more in common than being born after the iPhone. They are electric players, capable of providing a jolt to their team when needed.
Both have a certain swagger, a lack of
the fear that would grip any normal kid their age as they try to pull off a skill move most wouldn't dare go for no matter their age.
And they're giving fans something to look forward to. There have been prospects that have come and gone. It was less than a decade ago that Diego Lainez looked like the creative player who would be giving the U.S. headaches for years to come. He became a fine professional, but couldn't hack it in Europe and missed the cut for Mexico's 2026 World Cup roster. The list of U.S. players hailed as the next big thing who end their careers without reaching a dozne caps could fill an entire provisional squad.
So far, though, scouts and analysts agree: These guys are the real deal and there's plenty of reason not only to get excited about what Mora and Sullivan can do right now but also to believe they will have staying power rather than flaming out after reaching a premature ceiling.
How long could Gilberto and Sullivan be the face of the USMNT-Mexico rivalry?
The Victorian theater duo Gilbert and Sullivan delighted audiences for 25 years. Looking for even half that much entertainment from Gilberto and Sullivan feels greedy. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi first met in 2008 and may yet have one final chapter in their decades-long battle to be the best player in the world. Messi, the younger player, was 20 in that match - older than either member of the North American duo.
Yet, they are very much the exception rather than the rule, something international soccer fans need to remember as they search for 'the next' version of those two giants.
Most soccer players never make it as professionals. Most professionals never suit up for their national team. Sullivan looks to have many caps ahead of him but cherished his first, the start in the U.S. victory over Peru.
Cavan Sullivan vs Peru
— The translator (@sajadTranslator) September 26, 2026
First Team Debut at 16 YO 💎🇺🇸
( 60 minutes played ) pic.twitter.com/m91OasEVhJ
"I’ve dreamt of this day my entire childhood," Sullivan told TNT after his debut. "This means so much to me and my family. It’s an extreme honor to represent my country."
Their soccer families have steeled them. Sullivan's grandfather was a long-time soccer coach, his dad coached too and his brothers all play - one with him on the Philadelphia Union. Mora's father also became a coach after his playing career, moving from Chiapas to Tijuana and finding the right place for his young son to flourish.
Now, Mexico fans are not just excited to see Mora, many are ready for him to rescue the national team, something he says is motivating rather than meanacing.
"Honestly, it really inspires me that people put such high expectations on me and think I can go far," Mora said in a magazine interview before the World Cup.
Two nations starved for a soccer superstar, who long have been hoping for "the next Messi" or "the next Ronaldo" to somehow emerge from their countries may have a pair of players with the right skillset and mentalities to battle for a decade plus.
It has led to some fans trying to protect themselves, rather it be lowering expectations to keep from getting fooled again or trying to play a small part in the players growing into the superstars their countries hope they can one day be.
It has become a meme in Mexico to say they hope the underage Mora will never try Bacardi or any other alcohol - though former Mexico manager and noted tippler Javier Aguirre once shut that down by saying, "But Bacardi is really good!" Asked for his own thoughts after that response, Mora said he laughed at both the meme and Aguirre but "The good thing is I'm focused on what I want."
Will Gilberto Mora and Cavan Sullivan play today?
The players may not go head-to-head in Arizona. They may not even both see time. Mora suffered a knock in a post-match training drill after Mexico's 1-1 draw with Peru, though manager Rafa Marquez said "he had some light knocks, but it's evolving really well, so he's eligible for the next match."
Sullivan started the first U.S. match of the new World Cup cycle, then came in late in the Americans' 4-1 win over Chile.
U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino said his team understands the context of the match but downplayed the rivalry. Still, both managers have kept their young players fresh and ready, potentially with this match in mind knowing that not only is it what fans want to see but it should be the most revealing data point about how their rising stars respond.
Even if Mora and Sullivan don't play here, more matches between the North American rivals are coming. Both teams hope one comes as soon as March when the Concacaf Nations League is decided. There could be a Gold Cup knockout contest later in the summer.
Right now, Mexico holds both titles, but the U.S. is eager to turn the tide with not just Sullivan but talented teenagers like Julian Hall, Neil Pierre, Mathis Albert and Justin Ellis getting their first tastes of international soccer.
One of those players - or a Mora compatriot like Santi Sandoval, Hugo Camberos or Luis Gamboa - could end up becoming the face of their national team.
But it certainly feels like the highlights from this match will be popping up for years to come as 'the first', the first time fans in the region saw a matchup they'll see again and again, sometimes in friendlies like this one, sometimes with trophies on the line but, ideally, always riveting fans on either side of the border.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mora vs. Sullivan Round 1: How long will rising stars dominate USMNT-Mexico rivalry?
