SEATTLE, WASH. – Sounders FC today announced that it has re-signed defender Alex Roldan to a three-year contract from 2022-2024, with a club option for 2025. The 25-year-old returns to Seattle after a breakout 2021 season for both Sounders FC and the El Salvador National Team. A 2021 MLS All-Star Game starter, Roldan recorded a career-high 29 MLS regular-season appearances and 26 starts, as well as his first 12 international caps in 2021.
“We are excited to bring Alex back after such a successful 2021 season,” said Sounders FC General Manager & President of Soccer Garth Lagerwey. “Being named an MLS All-Star and captaining the El Salvador team shows his prominence on both the national and international stage. We look forward to having him as a Sounder for years to come.”
After recording 46 regular-season appearances (15 starts) from 2018-2020, Roldan started 26 of his 29 games played for Seattle last season, doubling his career assist total to six. He scored his first career goal in a 1-1 draw at the Colorado Rapids in an Independence Day matchup. Roldan was notably put in at goalkeeper during the final moments of a road contest against San Jose on May 12 when Stefan Frei went out with a knee injury, recording one save en route to the 1-0 Seattle victory. For his efforts last season, he was voted as a starter in the 2021 MLS All-Star Game alongside brother Cristian Roldan and four other teammates.
"Alex’s role on the team dramatically increased last season and we are excited to have him back,” said Sounders FC Head Coach Brian Schmetzer. “Over his four seasons with the club, Alex has consistently improved as a professional, and I can’t wait to see how he continues to develop.”
Roldan burst onto the international scene in 2021, starting 10 of his 12 appearances for the El Salvador National Team. He played in four matches for La Selecta during the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup, scoring in his international debut, a 2-0 win over Guatemala on July 11. He has also started all eight matches for El Salvador during its 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, wearing the captain’s armband in multiple games and scoring in a 1-1 draw with Jamaica on November 12.
“It’s no surprise that we wanted to bring Alex back after his excellent 2021 season for both club and country,” said Sounders FC Senior Vice President of Soccer Operations & Sporting Director Craig Waibel. “Alex provides a great skillset for our club and we look forward to him helping us win 2022 and beyond.”
Prior to his time with Seattle, Roldan played collegiate soccer at Seattle University from 2014-2017, recording 18 goals and 17 assists. In 2017, he scored six goals and led the Redhawks with eight assists, including assisting on the game-winning overtime goal at the University of Washington in the NCAA Tournament on November 16, 2017.
TRANSACTION: Sounders FC re-signs defender Alex Roldan on January 20, 2022.
Full Name: Alex Roldan
Position: Defender
Number: 16
Height: 5-10
Weight: 154
Hometown: Artesia, Calif.
Date of Birth: July 28, 1996 in Artesia, Calif.
Nationality: El Salvador
Pronunciation: Roll-DAHN
Acquired: Re-signed on January 20, 2022
CURRENT SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC ROSTER
GOALKEEPERS (3): Stefan Cleveland, Stefan Frei, Andrew Thomas
DEFENDERS (7): Yeimar Gómez Andrade, Xavier Arreaga, Abdoulaye Cissoko, Jimmy Medranda, Nouhou, Alex Roldan, Brad Smith
MIDFIELDERS (12): Josh Atencio, Reed Baker-Whiting, Léo Chú, Ethan Dobbelaere, João Paulo, Danny Leyva, Nicolás Lodeiro, Cristian Roldan, Kelyn Rowe, Albert Rusnák, Obed Vargas, Dylan Teves
FORWARDS (5): Samuel Adeniran, Will Bruin, Jordan Morris, Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez, Raúl Ruidíaz
