Roldan was named the 2013 Gatorade National Player of the Year in soccer while attending El Rancho High SchoolinPico Rivera, California.[3] He declined invitations from the LA Galaxy and Chivas USA to join their academy teams and led the El Rancho Dons to an undefeated season with 26 wins.[4] In his junior year, he had 21 goals and 21 assists for El Rancho and also played for youth club Union Independiente.[5] During the 2012–13 season, he scored 54 goals and 30 assists and led El Rancho to a regional high school championship.[4][6]
Roldan was scouted by the University of Washington at a tournament in San Diego and spent his college career with the Washington Huskies.[6] In his two seasons of college soccer, Roldan made a total of 41 appearances and tallied 10 goals and seven assists as he helped lead the team to a Pac-12 title in 2013.[6][7] Roldan was named the 2013 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, beating future Sounders teammate Jordan Morris from the Stanford Cardinal.[8]
On January 8, 2015, it was announced that Roldan had left college early to sign a Generation Adidas contract with Major League Soccer.[13] He was expected to be selected early in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft, but was chosen late in the first round with the 16th overall pick by Seattle Sounders FC.[5][14] The Sounders traded with Real Salt Lake for the draft pick and had scouted Roldan during his offseason training sessions with the team.[5] After making two substitute appearances the first two weeks of the season against the New England Revolution and the San Jose Earthquakes, Roldan made a substitute appearance for USL affiliate club Seattle Sounders FC 2 on March 21 and scored an 89th-minute goal in a 4–2 victory over defending USL champion Sacramento Republic FC.[15] Due to injuries and international call-ups, he made his first MLS start the following week in a goalless draw away to FC Dallas.[16]
Roldan developed into a deep-lying midfielder and earned a regular place in the starting lineup under head coach Sigi Schmid following his performances as an "impact substitute".[17] He was compared to captain and defensive midfielder Osvaldo Alonso, who Roldan regarded as a mentor and ultimately replaced.[18] Roldan scored his first career Major League Soccer goal on July 13, 2016, during a 5–0 win over FC Dallas.[19] He formed a partnership and personal friendship with fellow rookie Jordan Morris—previously a collegiate rival—that was dubbed "Jorstian Mordan".[8][20]
On November 10, 2019, Roldan featured for Seattle in a 3–1 home win over Toronto FCinMLS Cup 2019; he was involved in the build-up to his team's opening goal, after colliding with Jonathan Osorio, who lost the ball, while Seattle went on to score with Kelvin Leerdam.[21] He also played all eight matches in Seattle's run to the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League title, providing one goal and five assists, and was named to the Team of the Tournament.[22][23] Roldan underwent groin surgery in August 2022 to treat a sports hernia, his first major injury during his professional career.[24] He returned to the team for their final three matches of the regular season as the Sounders failed to qualify for the playoffs.[25]
He signed a five-year contract extension with the Sounders in January 2023 alongside Morris.[26] Roldan suffered a concussion during a regular season match against St. Louis City SC in April and missed several matches while undergoing treatment; he resumed training in late May.[27] Roldan had a second concussion during a Leagues Cup match in July and underwent more treatment, including sleep monitoring, at a facility in Detroit.[28] He returned to play against FC Dallas on September 16.[29]
Roldan and Sounders teammate Jordan Morris were called up to the final roster for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[8] Roldan had played limited minutes during the preceding World Cup qualifying campaign, but was chosen by Gregg Berhalter for his leadership in training and ability to play in several roles.[22][33]
Roldan was featured in an Adidas commercial as a nine-year-old, selected for his soccer ball juggling skills from 110 kids who tried out for the commercial.[34] Roldan is of Salvadoran and Guatemalan descent, and has an older brother named Cesar Jr., who works as a trainer for the LA Galaxy, and a younger brother Alex who has also played for the Sounders since 2019.[35][36]
He married physician assistant Ciana Baron on December 31, 2022.[26][37]
