Carlos Vela is the ‘king’ of El Tráfico ahead of MLS season opener

Carlos Vela was the first of the Los Angeles Football Club squad to score against the LA Galaxy and the first one to score a brace in the first edition of El Tráfico back on 31 March 2018. It seemed like it was going to be an easy win for LAFC at the Dignity Health Sports Park, but it took Zlatan Ibrahimovic 15 minutes to burst into the scene, score two late goals to eventually give the Galaxy the 4-3 win, and the three points.

Since then, the rivalry has never disappointed, and in a short period of time, it has become one of the biggest ones in Major League Soccer. So for the 2023 season opener, MLS decided to kick off the year with the rivalry between the two clubs from the greater Los Angeles area at the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, California, on Saturday night, the venue that used to be the home of the Galaxy from 1996-2002.

Carlos Vela, the key player

The reality is that there hasn’t been a more dominant player in the history of El Tráfico like Carlos Vela, who is entering his fifth season in the league, and he holds the record for most goals and assists. The former Mexican international has found the net ten times and provided six assists when facing the Los Angeles Galaxy since 2018.

Carlos Vela has participated in the 16 goals that Los Angeles Football Club has scored against their city rivals. Even though the Galaxy holds the winning record against LAFC with seven wins, five draws, and five defeats in 17 matchups, Carlos Vela and Co. have defeated their city rivals twice they met in the MLS Cup playoffs.

The LAFC captain has a record of four wins, three draws, and five defeats across all competitions when facing the LA Galaxy. Carlos Vela is eager to start the 2023 regular season after guiding the team to their first MLS Cup last campaign and what better way to do it than at a historic stadium against their city rivals, the Los Angeles Galaxy?