Cristian Roldan has burst back onto the US men's national team scene with a purpose.
With some impressive showings during the USMNT's fall friendlies, the longtime Seattle Sounders FC star is making a compelling case for a 2026 FIFA World Cup roster spot.
The midfielder doesn't take this reality for granted, considering his September call-up was his first in over two years.
"Look, I'm 30. I'm the second-oldest in camp, which is crazy," Roldan explained on Club & Country.
"If we need someone to speak up, I'm gonna speak up. I've played in too many games to be in a shell these days. Maybe I was a lot more timid beforehand with my first part of my national team career. But now, what do I have to lose? I have nothing to lose at this point.
"... Now it's about showing my personality and showing my leadership, showing what I can bring to the team, whether it's on the field or off the field, I'm going to contribute."
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Seizing his chance
Roldan worked back onto the USMNT radar behind another stellar season at the club level.
A 2025 MLS Best XI honoree, Roldan helped steer Seattle to a Leagues Cup 2025 title for his fourth major trophy. He was also a standout performer at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, where he excelled against world-class competition in group-stage matches against Atlético Madrid, Botafogo and Paris Saint-Germain.
"Very satisfying," Roldan said. "Look, I've never been able to compete against teams like that. I've never been able to compete against players like that. Even when I was part of the national team, I didn't get the big games.
"For me, this was my moment to capitalize on being at the Club World Cup, being at home, having so many eyeballs on games. But overall, for me, to be able to compare myself to some of these bigger clubs and some of these bigger-name players, that gave me so much confidence knowing that I can compete at that level.
"And for me, I took that as a challenge. I wasn't thinking about national team stuff; I wasn't thinking about whether it would impact my career or not. It was a challenge for myself, and I think that's the right way to approach it."
Hungry for more
As for the future with Seattle, Roldan believes the pieces exist to add more silverware in a jam-packed 2026.
"Our team isn't full of stars; it's full of players that just get it," he said. "And I think that we're going to be in a good spot. Our foundation is really good, and now how can we improve? How can we make our roster even better?
"Because I think we have a lot of soccer to play next year, and a lot of trophies to play for."
