Cristian Roldan might be shaking up the midfield options for Mauricio Pochettino’s U.S. Men’s National Team.
The career-long Seattle Sounders midfielder assisted both goals in the USMNT’s 2-1 win over the Socceroos, the first time under Pochettino that the team has come from behind to win a game. If a couple of near misses hadn’t been slightly off target, Roldan could have added a pair of goals for good measure.
On the strongest squad called up in the Pochettino era, the 30-year-old Roldan was arguably its best player against Australia at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Tuesday night.
“(Roldan) is what we need. We need a player with confidence, with some belief, with a little bit of arrogance … being competitive,” Pochettino said after the match. “Cristian Roldan is an example of how, if you want to build a perfect player, he has a little bit of everything.”
Like Ecuador on Friday in Austin, Texas, Australia — previously unbeaten in 12 games — scored first within the first 25 minutes. Jordan Bos neatly finished when an awkward clearance bounced into his path to set him up for a close shot.
Afterward, both Roldan assists were on nifty through balls to Haji Wright, one from close range and one from distance in each half. Neither one could have set Wright up better, from the weight to the placement of the passes.
In the first half, a Roldan shot from distance had Aussie keeper Mathew Ryan beat, but went just wide. A few minutes later, a corner fell to him in the box, and he narrowly missed a curling shot seemingly bound for the top right corner.
It’s been a turbulent few months for Roldan for all the best reasons. In late August, he and the Sounders beat Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in the Leagues Cup final. A week later, he found himself back in the USMNT fold as a late addition to the September camp. Prior to September camp, he had not played in a U.S. jersey since the 2023 Gold Cup.
For Roldan, recording two goal contributions in an international career that had only garnered three in 36 caps prior is liberating. But he’s not satisfied yet.
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“At age 30, I feel like I’m playing at my best, but I know I can still reach another level.”
Wright put himself in the mix by getting on the end of both Roldan services and bagging a brace on a 33rd-minute near-post finish with the outside of his right foot, then a cutback and left-footed curler to the far post.
That’s now two positions — defensive mid and striker — that will add to Pochettino’s headache in selecting the roster for the November camp and beyond. Not a bad thing given the squad’s tumultuous spring and summer international windows. The midfield was already deep before Roldan’s performance on Tuesday, and now Folarin Balogun seems to have real competition for the No. 9 spot.
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