Carlos Vela talks about Mexico national team and LAFC
The Los Angeles FC captain is ready to start his fourth year in Major League Soccer and he hopes they can win the MLS Cup this season.
The 2021 Major League Soccer regular season is scheduled to start on 17 April and Los Angeles FC are one of the top candidates to win it all this year. The team is entering their fourth year in MLS and so far they have only won the 2019 Supporters Shield, but they are ‘hungry’ to lift the MLS Cup and that is their main goal this year.
Carlos Vela will fight for the MVP award
LAFC will have the season opener at home against the new franchise Austing FC on 17 April at the Banc of California stadium. Carlos Vela will lead the team once again to make another run for the trophy this season and during an interview with the LA Times, he said he is motivated for this season after suffering a serious knee injury in 2020 that prevented him from helping the team.
“Last year was a tough one for me personally with my knee injury and with the coronavirus pandemic. I couldn’t play with LAFC in the MLS is Back tournament in Orlando because I was injured and when I recovered I didn’t feel like myself,” said Vela.
In 2019 the 31-year-old broke all the records in Major League Soccer and became the 2019 Most Valuable Player. Vela became the first Mexican player to win this award in MLS and that year LAFC won the Supporters Shield, the first and only trophy in the history of the young franchise.
“This year I will fight to become the MVP once again because I think this will benefit the team as well. When you play good, the team plays good and everything flows in one direction. So my objective this year is to become the Most Valuable Player and for LAFC is to win the MLS Cup,” he added.
Where Vela stands with the national team
Carlos Vela has not played for the Mexico national team since his participation in the 2018 World Cup, but a few months ago he said he would like to play in the summer Olympics if given the opportunity. However, last week the coach of the Mexico youth national team said Vela will not be called for the event in Tokyo. When asked about his situation with the national team, he left the door open.
“Honestly I don’t know and I don’t think about that. My objective is to do my best on the field, to score goals and help the team win titles. What happens beyond that is not in my hands,” said Vela.