May 26, 2026 will go down as one of the biggest moments in Cristian Roldan’s professional soccer journey.
For the second time in his career, the midfielder was selected to be a part of the U.S. Men’s National Team 26-man roster for FIFA World Cup 2026.
“Super proud of [him] as a brother and as a teammate,” said Alex Roldan. “[He] completely deserves this.”
Beginning June 12, Cristian will embark on his second World Cup with the USMNT after previously being selected for the tournament in 2022 in Qatar. While it was a moment of a lifetime to earn his first call-up to the biggest sporting event on the planet, this selection is even more special.
Cristian will be competing on his home soil of North America — in places that shaped him as a player and person. In two of the three group stages for the USMNT, Cristian will be playing at SoFi stadium, just a 30-minute drive from his hometown of Pico Rivera, CA. The other group stage match will be at Lumen Field, a stadium where he’s helped the Sounders become one of the most successful clubs in the history of North American soccer.
His call-up is a testament to the years of hard work and dedication to the sport. He’s been an integral part of the Sounders squad since 2015, guiding the team to a Concacaf Champions Cup title in 2022, two MLS Cups (2016, ‘19) and a Leagues Cup (2025). The current captain of the Sounders, Cristian was named to the MLS Best XI in 2025 and is one of just two players in club history with more than 400 appearances.
From an international perspective, he made his debut for the United States in 2017, earning 45 caps and helping the USMNT win two Gold Cup titles (2017, ‘21).
“I have a ton of respect for [him],” said Alex. “[He’s] been a role model for me.”
Cristian’s journey up to this point has had so many highs. But he’s also had many moments where he’s had to battle through adversity.
After the 2022 FIFA World Cup, there was a period where he was not called up to the USMNT. From dealing with concussions to “feeling like not [himself]” he reflects on those years as a “really hard” time. But it only made him stronger ahead of the opportunity to once again represent his country on the world stage.
“I learned so much from those years, just being able to get back to myself and understand there's a different side to life, and that soccer is not the most important thing, and I think I'm a better person [and] player because of it,” said Cristian. “People go through hard times, and so I'm excited to be on the other side of it, and I think that's why this [opportunity] is so much more special, just being away from the team, realizing that health is the most important thing, and you appreciate all the things that you don't have, and I think that was a learning experience for me in those two years.”
He credits his upbringing for giving him the resilience to push forward through adversity.
“It's shaped me entirely,” said Cristian. “I think that we play with the chip on our shoulder, we grind, we don't think anything is ever good enough, and so those are the values that I think we grew up learning from our parents and from our siblings as well.”
Those same family values ultimately influenced Cristian’s decision to represent the U.S. Men’s National Team over El Salvador and Guatemala.
“I had felt that the United States had given so much to our family. Our parents came here with not much, and they were able to put a roof over their heads and provide the life that we always needed and wanted,” said Cristian. “And so we thank the United States for that, and so this is hopefully a way to give back to the country that has given us so much.”
Cristian and his brothers would watch World Cup games together as kids, always dreaming of one day being there themselves. When he got that call in 2022, it was a surreal moment for him “because of all the sacrifices that [they] have gone through, [that they] have made throughout [their] lives.”
“It was a reward, I think, for all of us to be able to see me at the World Cup,” said Cristian.
Now, he gets to experience the dream all over again as he prepares to compete in a second World Cup in a matter of weeks.
“Just getting out of our hometown was a struggle for both of us, so how could you imagine even having the possibility of going to a World Cup, or even your second World Cup?” Cristian said to Alex. “So, for me, it's still a dream, and hopefully I will make people like you proud in the end, because people like you are the reason why I'm here.”
