Carlos Vela, the stalwart of a team that didn't exist
The Mexican has led Los Angeles FC since 2018, having arrived from Real Sociedad to become a star.
Carlos Vela is a formidable striker who joined the MLS in January 2018. Los Angeles FC paid €5 million to Spanish team Real Sociedad to build the foundations of the club around him.
The team's sporting project kicked off that year, and the player himself had doubts upon arriving: "When I arrived in Los Angeles, I thought, 'maybe no one will come to pick me up.' There was nothing. There was no assurance that there was even a club."
“There weren't even offices to go to. You think, 'what have I gotten myself into?” 'he said with a laugh. Despite this, he lifted his first title and won the MLS MVP in his second year: "It was one of the objectives, to create something new, to build a competitive team."
He became one of the league’s key players, also becoming the top scorer in 2019 and securing the MLS Cup and the Supporters' Shield in the 21/22 season. He was key to the achievement.
Such were his performances that he nearly ended up moving to Barça. The Catalans were interested in him and proposed a four-month loan in January 2019; in the end though, they went for Kevin-Prince Boateng as a second option to strengthen the team.
The plan was to return to Los Angeles after the loan. Vela was keen, but his club weren’t: "They didn't make it easy for me to leave, although it's understandable." LA FC would only accept the move if Vela’s release clause was paid.
In April of this year, he became the all-time leading scorer in 'El Tráfico', the Los Angeles derby against LA Galaxy, surpassing Ibrahimovic and setting the record at 10 goals.
His impact is immense in the United States, and in September, his jersey was still among the top five best-selling in 2023, according to the MLS. He led this ranking in May. What’s more, his jersey number was the third most sold in 2021 and 2022.
At 34, the Mexican sees retirement getting closer: "I don't know when. The mind and body decide, but of course it will only be a few more years."
Yet, the motivation remains, and he emphasizes that what's important to him is to enjoy the games. For 'El Bombardero', every match is significant, and he gives his all despite not being a fan himself: it's not unusual to see him at Clippers and Lakers games.
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