Cristian Roldan

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Roldan was the 2013 Gatorade National Player of the Year while playing for El Rancho High School in Pico Rivera, California, and played collegiate soccer for the Washington Huskies. He was picked by the Sounders in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft and developed into a regular starting player for the club, with over 300 total appearances. He is of Salvadoran and Guatemalan descent.

In Their Own Story

The rain fell softly on the training pitch at Starfire Sports Complex. A young midfielder wiped mud from his boots, watching the first team warm up in the distance. He knew that for every legend who lifted a trophy, there were dozens like him working in the shadows of the academy, hoping to bridge the gap between potential and glory.

Reader's Guide

Roldan has won MLS Cup (2016, 2019), CONCACAF Champions League (2022), and Leagues Cup (2025) with Seattle Sounders FC. With the United States, he won CONCACAF Gold Cup (2017, 2021). Individually, he was an MLS All-Star (2021), named to the CONCACAF Champions League Best XI (2022), and MLS Best XI (2025).

Did You Know?

• Roldan was featured in an Adidas commercial as a nine-year-old, selected for his soccer ball juggling skills from 110 kids.
• He scored 54 goals and 30 assists in the 2012–13 high school season.
• Roldan was named the 2013 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year.
• He underwent groin surgery in August 2022 for a sports hernia.
• Roldan suffered two concussions in 2023, one in April and one in July.