Cristian Roldan remembers the exact moment he wanted to become a professional footballer. “It was back in El Salvador,” he said. “I was maybe four or five, and I ended up being a ball boy for this team called FAS. My cousin [Jose Granadino] actually played for them. I remember at half-time I was juggling a little bit, and the fans were all clapping. It was a pretty satisfying moment being on the field, and seeing all the fans in the stands. Seeing my cousin play gave me that extra motivation.”

The 21-year-old can reflect fondly on that memory knowing his goal has been achieved. A professional with the Seattle Sounders, it is a journey still very much in its infancy. Signed by the Sounders to a Generation Adidas deal in 2015, it affords him a stipend towards his education. “I thought that was extremely important for me,” he said. “I left after my sophomore year so I still have a year and a half left. I want to do something with my life, have a career, after soccer.”

Roldan is still to declare his major, and is managing his classes alongside a hectic schedule with the Sounders. However, he feels close to a decision, and sees it as something that can influence his future in football.

“I was looking into psychology, but they can’t offer all of the courses online,” he said. “I might have to settle for something a little more simple like sociology. I’m currently taking that to see how it is. I’ve set my mind on possibly coaching after my career. I think if you learn to know people, see their values, and how they are as people, you can understand them.”

Although a future in the manager’s chair is still some time away, it hasn’t stopped the midfielder analyzing man management styles. Seattle agreed to mutually part ways with Sigi Schmid in July, and appointed Brian Schmetzer as interim head coach until the end of the season. This is the first major coaching change of Roldan’s professional career, and it has provided him with the opportunity to note the difference in styles.

“It’s a little bit more freestyle in the attacking third [under Brian Schmetzer], but defensively I have my responsibilities,” Roldan said. “I have to cover for the front four basically, but I think offensively he [Brian Schmetzer] allows me to do as I please. If I see something I can try to take advantage of it, but if I lose the ball I have to track back and do as much as I can defensively. I think defensively we’re a little stricter under Brian Schmetzer, but when Sigi was here it was a bit more free flowing overall.

“We have a lot of veteran guys, and he [Schmid] put the pressure on the veteran guys to play the way they wanted to play. Brian Schmetzer is more organised in terms of how he wants to play, and where he wants the ball.”

Much like Schmetzer, Roldan’s role with the Sounders has also evolved this season. Part of a conscious effort by the coaching staff, their message has been clear. “Ante Razov [assistant coach] told me that this year he wanted me to play like Sergio Busquets,” Roldan said. “He told me, ‘go look at videos of him, look at his style, and maybe you can bring some of his style into your style’. I think players like him [Busquets] and Xabi Alonso are the best in the world, and I wanted to implement some of their style into my own game.

“I want to do what is best for the team. I think if I could play as a number six, maybe as Osvaldo Alonso leaves the team I can eventually take over. I definitely can see myself being the midfielder that connects the defenders and the attackers, but I also want to show my skills in the attacking third too.”

From talking to Roldan it becomes clear that football has dominated his life. Whether it be serving as a ball boy, or starring in an Adidas commercial in which he built a ball from plastic bags, the sport has been the centre of his world. Nestled inside that passion is an ambiguous future at international level. The 21-year-old is eligible for three nations —El Salvador, Guatemala, and the United States— with Guatemala head coach Walter Claveri reaching out recently to discuss his potential selection.

Such talk has sparked a debate over his future. A difficult and complex decision, the midfielder’s uncertainty is contrasted by a clarity regarding what he hopes to achieve at international level. “I want to play in a World Cup,” he said confidently. “I think that’s everyone’s goal. In terms of position, I just want to make the team I end up playing for, and play well. It’s vital I find a position with the Sounders and keep improving. Whether it’s Guatemala, El Salvador or the US, I want to find that position and find success.”

Story continues