By Mazvita Maraire Posted on

Sounders Cristian Roldan named to MLS Best XI

Major League Soccer has acknowledged Seattle Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan for a career performance.  Roldan was named to the 2025 MLS Best XI. The annual award is more of a cherry on top for Roldan, who has stellar performances in MLS league play,  League Cup Tournament, and the FIFA Club World Cup. Roldan’s meteoric rise started when he was moved from an outside midfielder to an inside holding midfielder.

“ Look, he’s getting his due, recognition for what we have  known for a long time, “ said  Sounders head coach Brian Schmezter.”  “It’s been a breakout season in some respects that started at the end of last year, when we moved him inside. He’s really taking that role.”

Shining star on the biggest stage

 In this year’s MLS regular season, Roldan started 30 of his 31 regular-season appearances, leading the team in completed passes (1,849) with an 89 percent completion percentage. Roldan’s ability to play from box to box saw him lead the team with 633 minutes played in a year, the Rave Green set a season high in goals ( 131) and assists (73).

Stellar  tournament record

During the Sounders’ tournament play, Roldan was simply the brightest star. He played every minute of the club’s three matches during this summer’s FIFA World Cup 2025™, scoring a goal against South American champion Botafogo before battling European giants Atlético Madrid and PSG.

 Later in the summer, Roldan appeared in all six of Seattle’s Leagues Cup 2025 fixtures, tallying two assists as Sounders FC captured its first Leagues Cup title and became the first team in U.S. soccer history to win every major competition (Concacaf Champions Cup, MLS Cup, Supporters’ Shield, U.S. Open Cup, Leagues Cup).

Roldan’s outstanding performances earned him a call-up to the United States Men’s National Team during the September and October FIFA windows. The call ups were his first under USMNT head coach  Mauricio Pochettino. Roldan played in all four USMNT friendlies during the two windows, including an impressive two-assist performance in a 2-1 win over Australia (October 15).

“I thought this year, in particular, we evolved as a team and, you know, some of that was definitely me evolving as a player, but I think as a team collectively, I think that this is a recognition of our team rather than just one player,’ said Roldan .” And so really part of the group, all together, but obviously being recognized is always a fun feeling. “

Sounders looking to advance into the next round of MLS  Playoffs

Schmetzer and his coaching staff are looking to Roldan and other veterans to lead the team to victory on Saturday against the Minnesota Loons.  Saturday will be a winner-take-all match in the best-of-three series, which has seen each side win at home.

” But for us, I think we like the big moments and I think we all prefer the big pressure win game moments, but it also creates a little bit of that rivalry, right. ” Added Roland ” We’ve battled it out two times, right? 
So you just kind of create that bit of rivalry within the two clubs, and sometimes that’s good, right? You might see a more intense game in the third game as a result.

2025 MLS BEST XI

GOALKEEPER: Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United FC)

DEFENDERS: Tristan Blackmon (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Alex Freeman (Orlando City SC), Jakob Glesnes (Philadelphia Union), Kai Wagner (Philadelphia Union)

MIDFIELDERS: Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Evander (FC Cincinnati), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC)

FORWARDS: Denis Bouanga (LAFC), Andres Dreyer (San Diego FC), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF)

SOUNDERS FC ALL-TIME MLS BEST XI SELECTIONS

2025: Cristian Roldan

2024: Yeimar Gómez Andrade

2021: João Paulo, Raúl Ruidíaz, Yeimar Gómez Andrade

2020: Nicolás Lodeiro, Jordan Morris, Raúl Ruidíaz

2018: Chad Marshall

2014: Chad Marshall, Obafemi Martins

2012: Osvaldo Alonso

2011: Kasey Keller

2009: Freddie Ljungberg

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