Carlos Vela, success as a window for other Mexicans

Carlos Vela fell like a glove at LAFC, a team that gave him the confidence to be his main franchise player since its foundation in 2018 and where he earns 6 million dollars a year. The Mexican responded immediately and stood out in a club that was just joining a division that is constantly growing in every way, so it was not easy to take the team to where he is now, as MLS champion.

“Carlos Vela’s impact on MLS can not only be measured in his performance, but also in the game culture that he has been creating in Los Angeles and in the league itself. Although other stars have arrived at the championship and in his own team, few have shown the level of commitment that Vela showed and continues to show with his club. He rejected proposals from Mexico and other countries to make good on his word to give LAFC a title…and he fulfilled it. In addition, MLS is better with Vela , than without him. With Carlitos there will be a before and after in American professional football,” said Christian Girón for El Economista, a journalist who writes for the North American league.

His arrival in the United States did not have a good background when it comes to nationality. Players like Cuauhtémoc Blanco, Hugo Sánchez, Rafael Márquez and Jorge Campos were in the division, however not all of them had an outstanding step. The last two antecedents of franchise players were the dos Santos brothers in the LA Galaxy, both passed without penalty or glory in the team and even left through the back door.

For his part, the figure of the attacker was recognized even internationally as he left Real Sociedad as a reference before landing in Los Angeles. Just in the 2019 season he was chosen as the MVP of the division and broke the record for goals in a regular season with 34 goals, which maintain the current mark. In addition, the Los Angeles team was already twice the best team in the league -in the regular season- in just five years.

“Obviously when looking at the statistics, the records that Carlos Vela has set in the MLS, it is normal that the League teams once again see Mexico as a cradle of talent supply. It is not for nothing that many elements that are active in both leagues in At some point in their careers they see themselves in the opportunity to decide which team to represent.Carlos Vela revived MLS’s interest in Liga MX players and not just attacking footballers, a clear example of this was the explosion of Juan José Purata at Atlanta United, a player who went unnoticed at Tigres and who was one of the club’s best in 2022. Obviously not all are success stories, but without a doubt, Vela has been a ´fundamental pillar for the return of the Aztec legion to the MLS, now they may be few, but in 2023 we will see more Mexicans in MLS, for sure,” Girón commented on the impact of the Mexican.

Carlos Vela set a precedent in the way Mexican elements were seen in MLS, at least that is reflected in the data: more than 15 Mexicans have come to the league since the LAFC ’10’ signed and among them stand out six franchise players. Rodolfo Pizarro, Eduardo López, Alan Pulido, Carlos Salcedo, Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernández and Héctor Herrera, the last two as the main cards of their respective teams, LA Galaxy and Houston Dynamo.

The Chivas youth squad showed that a Mexican soccer player can make a difference in the division. Fortunately for the national cause, at least in recent times, López had outstanding performances with San José despite the bad moment of the team as well as Chicharito, who is currently captain of his club, however he still has not achieved the title that is so much demanded of him. the angelenos.

For the 2022 season, MLS had a record of 64 players with Mexican or national roots. This meant an increase of 42% compared to the 45 who played in the 2020 league season. The numbers also include young players who go up to the first team, which reflects the work that franchises do to find talent and regardless of their nationality.

“The competitiveness that the Mexican injects into the American league is very high, it ranges from the soccer, administrative, social and institutional aspects. If the MLS today is a league that can compete face to face with Liga MX, it is thanks to the Aztec contribution, to the talent of its soccer players and obviously to a culture of growth rarely seen in soccer”, concluded Christian.

Sailing, a talent that will not be in Qatar 2022

The Mexican National Team issue is not something relevant for Carlos Vela if it comes to participating with the national team. He gave himself the opportunity to be present in the cycle towards Russia 2018 but stepped aside after being eliminated from the World Cup at the hands of Brazil.

His numbers in the MLS coincide with the time he has been absent from the Mexican process under Gerardo Martino and, at least on paper, it would mean a lot to have an element with his credentials to face the World Cup. The attacker has played 139 games with LAFC, adding 79 goals and 43 assists – historical first place for both categories in the club – in just under 10,800 minutes, which leaves him with a goal participation every 88.

Carlos has always been clear with his position on defending the colors of Mexico: he does not think he is necessary in the team. At the time, he concluded that, even with his presence on the field, the Mexican National Team did not show a different face, especially in the World Cups that they played where they fell in the round of 16, so he preferred to step aside for other players with the desire to transcend

For his part, Gerardo Martino has not hidden that he respects Vela’s decision and that is why he has not looked for him to return to the calls, he has even assured that he values ​​his sincerity, because that way the coach’s focus is on the footballers he does have available to wear the Mexico shirt.

yoshua.navarro@eleconomista.mx