Realio’s Ratings: Seattle Sounders vs. 2025, #1

#1 Cristian Roldan – 2025 Overall Rating: 6.89 in 46 appearances

Community Rating: 6.72

MLS Regular Season: 6.81 in 31 appearances
MLS Playoffs: 7.67 in 3 appearances
Concacaf Champions Cup 6.33 in 3 appearances
Club World Cup 7.33 in 3 appearances
Leagues Cup: 7.00 in 6 appearances

MOTM = 7 | High = 8 | Low = 4

You already know who the #1 rated player is for 2025 if you’ve read these recaps. If you haven’t, but you watched any Sounders games at all, you could still guess who took the top spot. Perennial high performer Cristian Roldan put in his best season in this, his 11th year with the Sounders. In addition to his best rating, he had his highest number of appearances, with 46 across all competitions. This incredible player was the top-rated Sounder in Club World Cup, MLS regular season, and MLS playoffs, showing up against the strongest opponents in the biggest matches, and earning a team-leading seven MOTM awards in 2025.

How it started: Cristian started the season slowly; he was fine but not amazing, earning average ratings as Seattle was similarly slow to start. He even earned a surprising “4” rating against Cruz Azul in the CCC after a dreadful outing, one of his worst ever, where he seemed lost and was something we don’t often see, a liability to the team. Roldan didn’t earn his first MOTM award until April, although he’d already established himself in the defensive midfield by then. In a dominant home win:

Cristian was incredible against Nashville, in overt ways that directly impacted the scoreboard, and in subtle ways that made the team tactics work. After being on their back foot for the first 10 minutes, a tactical adjustment by Roldan made all the difference. Dropping deeper to support the distributive needs of the Sounders, Seattle immediately surged forward with Cristian as their fulcrum playing a true “6” position, and the ball flowed much better. He led the team with four shots, had 11 passes into the final third, progressed the ball the furthest, had 10 recoveries, and wasn’t dispossessed a single time.

This was a trend all year, as Cristian’s game management and tactical adjustments set Seattle up for success. He solidified the defense, created transition, and facilitated the attack while covering the entire field with his influence, often making these adjustments on the fly. Roldan was on fire thereafter, earning a cumulative 7.25 in his next dozen appearances, ending with the final match of the Club World Cup. This stretch included back to back MOTM’s against Portland and Dallas, and he repeated this feat against Vancouver and Botofogo. In that first match of the CWC, it was Cristian Roldan who was arguably the best player on either squad. His line was electric: “Four shots, three key passes, 110 touches, 15 passed into the final third. Two tackles won, 11 recoveries, 12 won duels. Fouled four times.” He truly ran the match from his defensive midfield position, helping Seattle almost pull off an epic upset and making himself known to international teams and fans.

How it ended: Cristian factored in the next 20 matches, as Seattle went 12W/3L/5T (41 of a possible 60 points) in those games. He did especially well combining centrally with Obed Vargas, showing resiliency to play every match while showcasing his ridiculously high work rate and rarely, if ever, showing fatigue. Their combination fueled the team centrally, but it was Cristian who was the engine, starting game after game and producing at a high level, no matter who he was paired with. Coach Schmetzer rested him for the last two matches of the MLS season, but he was back in his customary spot leading the team against Minnesota in the playoffs. In Seattle’s unfortunate last match of the year, Cristian rose to the occasion:

As usual, it was the Cristian Roldan Show in the midfield, and he brought all the energy and intensity needed. It started with winning a massive 10 duels (out of 14), adding five shots, and offering two key passes. The king of bringing the ball effectively into attack, Cristian passed into the final third an incredible 16 times, continually starting the attack with vision and precision. He was dispossessed only one time all night, as part of a definitive masterclass in the middle … He did everything from consistent defensive recoveries, to making decisive central runs that ripped apart the Loons defense, to getting in the box for shots. When the game was on the line, he found the ball and a brilliant assist in the 88th minute to give his team life.

Where do we go from here? That’s what Cristian does every match: he gives his team life. Combining excellent defense with nuanced offense, he adds in smart movement and unbelievable work rate, and he simply dominates, continuing to grow and improve. Roldan has already been great for years, but 2025 likely anointed him as Seattle’s most important player going forward. Already a leader, Cristian Roldan will likely start 2026 as team captain. His skill, tenacity and leadership make him a crucial thread in the fabric of the team. Playing at his peak, Cristian does the right thing so consistently that it’s hard to believe he has only played at defensive midfield a few seasons. His defense effectively shelters the backline, his possession in traffic and distribution are top-notch, and his ability to be goal direct are key parts of the total package that Cristian will bring into 2026 and beyond. When I asked my 9-year old intern his thoughts on Roldan, he said “he’s GOOD.” You can’t argue with that.