Carlos Vela is a Mexican-born professional footballer who competes for both the Mexico national team and Major League Soccer Club Los Angeles FC as a forward. He began his professional career with the Mexican club Guadalajara, but prominent European clubs became interested in him after he earned the Golden Boot at the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship, which Mexico won by defeating Brazil. He eventually signed with Premier League team Arsenal, but he spent the majority of that time on loan with clubs in Spain, including Salamanca, Osasuna, and Real Sociedad, where he ultimately decided to sign a six-year contract. During his time at Arsenal, he also served as a loan player for the English team West Bromwich Albion. He competed in the 2010 FIFA World Cup and helped the Mexican national team win the CONCACAF Gold Cup, although he avoided national service for three years due to personal issues before returning in November 2014.
Early Childhood & Life
Enrique Vela and Nella Garrido welcomed Carlos Alberto Vela Garrido into the world on March 1st, 1989 in Cancun, Mexico. His mother was a homemaker, and his father worked as an iron welder. Alejandro, his brother, is also a football player.
At the age of four, his father, who was forced to quit semi-pro football owing to an injury, enrolled him in neighborhood teams. Under the direction of coach Félix Acal, he significantly improved and developed with his first club, Ko Cha Wolis.
While he participated in both basketball and football during his time in school, at the age of 12, a quarrel between his coaches made him choose one. José Luis Real from C.D. Guadalajara took notice of him in 2001 and invited him to a young competition in Buenos Aires. He then joined the team in 2003.
League Career of Carlos Vela
Carlos Vela was recruited by the Mexican club Guadalajara after he scored five goals as the tournament’s leading scorer to help Mexico win the FIFA U-17 World Championship in 2005. He requested the club to transfer his family from Cancun, which had just been hit by a storm, as part of the signing agreement.
He caught the eye of several European clubs after winning the Golden Boot at the U-17 World Cup and eventually signed a five-year, £125,000 contract with Arsenal in November. He was loaned to the Spanish club Celta de Vigo in February 2006 since he was unable to play in England due to work visa restrictions for non-EU nationals, but he returned without taking part in a game.
For the 2006–07 season, he was once more loaned to Salamanca of Spain’s Segunda División, where he contributed to nearly fifty goals in addition to his eight own. He attracted the interest of more prestigious La Liga clubs and spent a year on loan at Osasuna, where the Spanish media praised his debut goal against Real Betis.
He received his work permit on May 22, 2008, and on August 30, as a substitute, he made his professional debut for Arsenal in their Premier League match against Newcastle United. On September 23, 2008, he made his entire League Cup debut against Sheffield United and scored three goals, the second of which was selected as one of “Arsenal’s Greatest 50 Goals.”
He missed the 2009–10 preseason due to an ankle injury, but on September 22, 2009, he made a comeback and contributed to Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion by scoring a goal and setting up another. On December 10, 2009, his contract with Arsenal was extended. He then scored twice in Arsenal’s 6-0 victory over Braga in the UEFA Champions League.
He was on loan to West Brom for the last few months of the 2010–11 campaign, and as a late replacement, he scored equalizers against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Stoke City. He was on a season-long loan to Real Sociedad in Spain the following year, where he scored three goals, including two critical equalizers, before the season’s finish.
He stated a desire to remain with Real Sociedad after the deal, which is said to have cost €3 million. The transaction was completed on July 17, 2012. During the 2012–13 season, he primarily played on the right wing and recorded 14 goals and 9 assists.
He put in consistent effort throughout the 2013–14 campaign, contributing to both goals and assists, including all four goals in a 4–3 victory over Celta Vigo. For this performance, he was named the “La Liga Player of the Month” for December 2013. He scored in a 4-2 victory over Real Madrid to open the 2014–15 campaign, and in November 2014, he defeated Elche to claim the “Player of the Month” honor once more.
He suffered an injury during the team’s 1-4 league loss against Real Madrid in January 2015, which kept him out for two months. He made his comeback on March 22, 2015, against Córdoba.
He scored twice in a 4-0 victory over Levante to start the 2015–16 campaign, however, he was fined and benched in March 2016 after missing a training session.
He played in his 200th league game for Real Sociedad in a 3-1 win over Sporting de Gijón on April 10, 2017, moving into second place among international players with the most appearances for the team. On January 1, 2018, he moved to Los Angeles FC of Major League Soccer. On March 4, 2018, he made his debut against Seattle Sounders FC and contributed to the team’s lone goal.
Worldwide Career of Carlos Vela
Carlos Vela scored five goals to earn the Golden Boot and contributed to Mexico’s victory at the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship. In a friendly matchup against Brazil in September 2007, he made his full international debut for Mexico’s senior team. The following month, in Los Angeles, he scored his first international goal against Guatemala.
He helped Mexico get to the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup final by scoring the fifth penalty against Costa Rica, and he also had three assists in the 5-0 victory against the US in the championship game. He was instrumental in helping Mexico defeat El Salvador 4-1 to get to the 2010 World Cup, although he hurt himself in the group game against France.
He was involved in a party that resulted in a six-month suspension from the national team, and for the next three years, he routinely excused himself from national service. In November 2014, he made a comeback to the national team for friendlies against Belarus and the Netherlands. He also played on the CONCACAF Gold Cup-winning team in 2015.
Recognition & Achievements
For Mexico, Carlos Vela won the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship and took home the Golden Boot. Both the Real Sociedad Player of the Year and the La Liga Player of the Month awards have been given to him twice.
Personal Legacy & Life
Altair Jarabo, a Mexican actress, and Shanik Aspe, a Mexican television personality, were previously connected to Carlos Vela in 2010 and 2011, respectively.
Currently, he is dating Saioa Canibano, a Spanish woman with whom he shares a son named Romeo.
Carlos Vela’s Net Worth
Carlos Vela’s salary and net worth: Carlos Vela is a professional soccer player from Mexico who is worth $20 million. In March 1989, Carlos Vela was born in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico. He played as a winger for Guadalajara from 2002 to 2005 and for Arsenal from 2005 to 2006. From 2005 through 2012, Vela joined Arsenal’s senior team. From 2005 to 2006, he was loaned to Real Sociedad, Celta de Vigo, Salamanca, Osasuna, West Bromwich Albion, and Osasuna. From 2011 to 2012, he was loaned to Real Sociedad. Carlos Vela joined Real Sociedad in 2012 and played there until 2017 when he amassed 184 caps and 54 goals. In 2018, he joined Los Angeles FC. Prior to joining the senior team in 2007, Vela performed for Mexico at the under-17 and under-20 levels in international competition, appearing in more than 70 games. He took part in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, and the 2018 FIFA World Cup as a member of the Mexican side that won the COCACAF Gold Cup in 2009.
Trivia
Enrique Vela, Carlos Vela’s father, is extremely beloved by Carlos. On his father’s birthday, he presented the cup to him after winning the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship and dedicated his Golden Boot to him.