No player in MLS means as much to his club as the ex-Arsenal forward, and he could get the most epic sendoff imaginable
When Carlos Vela arrived in MLS, he arrived with a certain reputation. He was talented, yes. Unbelievably talented, in fact. He was recognized as one of the most dynamic exports Mexican soccer had ever seen, a true force on the field when on his game.
However, before he arrived in MLS, Vela was seen as a player who had largely wasted his potential. He'd bounced around Europe, showing flashes of his abilities in England and Spain. On the international level, he had his moments, too, although his time with the Mexican national team was best known for his refusal to play for them for several years.
On Saturday, Vela may play his last game in MLS, five years after his arrival. His LAFC contract is set to expire at the end of the season, which could call time on his career with the defending champions. And if this is the end, he'll leave with a new, much-improved reputation.
Once known for his lack of commitment, Vela will go down as a player who defined a club and an era. If this is the last dance, Vela will go down, undoubtedly, as one of the most dominant forces MLS has ever seen.
Getty ImagesPre-LAFC days
The world has known about Vela for almost two decades. It's been 18 years since he led Mexico to the Under-17 World Cup crown, which he followed up by signing with Arsenal. His career with the Gunners never quite got going, though. After loans to Salamanca and Osasuna, he played a small role for the club for three-and-a-half seasons, scoring 11 goals in 64 games.
Yet, in North America, he remained one of the region's best-known players, appearing alongside Landon Donovan and Kaka on the cover of FIFA 11. Vela truly felt like a rising star, one that, like Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez at Manchester United, could define a new era of Mexican soccer. It never quite happened that way, though.
Following the 2010 World Cup, Vela and teammate Efrain Juarez would be suspended for six months for their involvement in a party. After his suspension, Vela briefly returned, but eventually took himself out of the picture. He refused a call-up for the 2012 Olympics and declined to play in the World Cup qualifiers that followed. In 2014, then-coach Miguel Herrera flew to Spain to convince Vela to return for the upcoming World Cup; Vela declined.
He did return to the Mexico national team in 2014, continuing to establish himself all the way through the 2018 World Cup. At club level, meanwhile, he'd found something of a home at Real Sociedad, having put any issues behind them to truly make his way in Europe.
"It was a hard moment. At 17 years old, you move from Cancun to London, you're excited for that but it's a big change," Vela told GOAL in 2020. "When you're not mature, you have more problems, more troubles. Your head isn't ready to be at one of the biggest clubs in the world. That part was difficult for me. But, honestly, I'm proud to have Arsenal as part of my career. I had good things there.
"After that, my life changed. I was able to get more experienced, more mature. I'm a better player because of it, because you have to have bad moments to improve, to work more. It makes you say, 'I don't want to be back in that bad moment'."
As it turns out, the best years of Vela's career would be played out in the United States as he joined an ambitious project to become the face of a franchise.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesMaking a big splash
When LAFC arrived in MLS, they promised to change the game, and Vela was their first step towards doing so. In August 2017, it was announced that he would be the club's first Designated Player, and the signing was met with intrigue.
What kind of player would LAFC be getting? Would Vela, who has famously said he's more of a basketball fan than a soccer fan, take life in LA seriously? Given the failures of previous superstars with half-hearted levels of commitment, could LAFC trust a player with Vela's reputation to care enough?
The Mexican star answered those questions almost immediately. From the start, Vela made it clear that he was in the U.S. to dominate. He provided an assist in his debut, teeing up Diego Rossi, before scoring one week later against Real Salt Lake. By the summer, he was voted the MLS All-Star team captain, and by the end of the year, he was named to the MLS Best XI.
When all was said and done, Vela scored 15 goals in his debut season, but as its turned out, that was just the beginning.
MLSRecord-breaker
Prior to the 2019 season, there were rumors that Barcelona were ready to swoop for Vela. It seems the Catalans were onto something, as that season was the one where he went truly supernova.
Throughout a Supporters' Shield-winning campaign, Vela shattered the MLS record for goals that was set just one year prior by Josef Martinez. After seeing the Venezuelan score 31 in 34 games for Atlanta United, Vela went out and scored 34 goals in 31, adding 15 assists for good measure. That combined tally didn't just break Martinez's record, but also Sebastian Giovinco's mark for most goal contributions in a single season.
It's the single-most dominant run in MLS history, and one that may not be matched for quite some time, even with Lionel Messi now in the picture. Vela was, obviously, recognized as 2019 MLS MVP for his efforts after a season that, just two years into his MLS career, solidified his spot among the league's all-time greats.
"You are never ready for that kind of spotlight, but when you're here and you see how sports are, how life is being in one of the biggest cities in the world, you have to be like that," Vela told GOAL. "You have to take more responsibility and show something different. When you are there with the best and when you are the best, you have to be there and show how good you are and try and bring something to the people. With that part, I feel really comfortable living here and playing here. I want to be the best every day."
Through just two seasons Vela had scored 38 MLS goals, and 43 in all competitions. He also had a trophy, too, in the Supporters' Shield. With Vela leading the charge, LAFC, almost immediately, became one of the league's elite team. However, there was still something missing: an MLS Cup.
GettyThe greatest game in MLS history
For all of LAFC's success, and for all of Vela's, they needed an MLS Cup. The Mexican's resume had just about everything else, but he'd need that big trophy at the end to truly cement his legacy.
"The goal is to be the best and to be the best you need to continuously win, and win titles," Vela told GOAL in 2021. "It’s the next step for us at LAFC, for my career: to say we’ve won, and then to continue to win." In 2022, Vela got his hands on that trophy, and did so after the best MLS game ever played.
The 2022 MLS Cup match will forever be remembered for Gareth Bale's late heroics. A bit-part player for the entirety of his LAFC stay, Bale came up big when his side needed him most, scoring an epic, stoppage-time header to keep his team alive.
Vela was the player that made way for Bale late on with LAFC needing a miracle, and at the time of his substution, the Mexican's fingerprints were all over the game. He'd assisted LAFC's opener from a corner, ensuring his presence was felt in the final. It was Vela's third assist in as many playoff games and, after an epic penalty shootout, Vela got his hands on the trophy he'd been eyeing for the previous five years.
Half a decade after his arrival, Vela had helped LAFC reach the promised land. He'd exceeded every expectation and scored more goals than anyone could imagine. He'd won them the big trophy as well as several others along the way, establishing himself as the club's first true icon and a legitimately legendary figure in MLS. Now, one year later, Vela and LAFC have the chance to do something even more special: to do it all over again.