History of Carlos Vela in Timeline
Carlos Vela is a Mexican former professional footballer known for his versatility as a forward, winger, and attacking midfielder. He last played for Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer. Vela is recognized for his offensive capabilities and adaptability on the field, making him a valuable asset to any team he plays for.
2 days ago : Carlos Vela Announces Retirement from Professional Football After a Stellar Career.
Carlos Vela, LAFC star and former Chivas promise, announced his retirement from professional football. His career included successes but he never returned to play again in Mexico. Jesus Ramirez remembers Vela's impact.
March 1989: Carlos Vela Born
On March 1, 1989, Carlos Alberto Vela Garrido was born in Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico, to Enrique Vela and Nella Garrido.
1996: West Brom Win
The text references a win at The Hawthorns since 1996. The context of Carlos Vela's events in 2011, the match described puts West Brom on the verge of a first win in years.
2001: Summoned to Youth Tournament with Guadalajara
Around 2001, José Luis Real of C.D. Guadalajara's youth system sent scouts to Cancún, where Vela caught their eye and was summoned to a youth tournament in Buenos Aires with Guadalajara as a small trial period.
2003: Joined Guadalajara
In 2003, during a local competition held in Ciudad Victoria, Vela was seen and was presented with offers with local teams of the Primera División, eventually joining Guadalajara.
November 2005: Signed with Arsenal
In November 2005, Carlos Vela signed a five-year deal with Arsenal for a fee that could rise to £550,000.
2005: Top Scorer at FIFA U-17 World Championship
In 2005, Carlos Vela finished as the top scorer at the FIFA U-17 World Championship, leading to interest from European clubs and ultimately joining Arsenal.
February 2006: Loaned to Celta Vigo and Returned
In February 2006, Carlos Vela was loaned out to Spanish club Celta Vigo by Arsenal, but he was returned right away with no games played due to work permit issues.
2006: Loan to Salamanca
In 2006, Carlos Vela was sent to Spanish Segunda División club Salamanca, on loan for the 2006–07 season and had a successful stay there.
October 2007: First International Goal for Mexico
In October 2007, Carlos Vela scored his first senior international goal for Mexico in a friendly against Guatemala in Los Angeles.
October 2007: First Goal with Osasuna
On October 31, 2007, Carlos Vela scored his first goal with Osasuna, in a match against Real Betis.
2007: Participation in FIFA U-20 World Cup
In 2007, Carlos Vela was part of the under-20 team that participated at the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
May 2008: Granted Work Permit for England
On May 22, 2008, Carlos Vela was granted a work permit that allowed him to play in England.
August 2008: Competitive Debut for Arsenal
On August 30, 2008, Carlos Vela made his competitive debut for Arsenal in their Premier League match against Newcastle United.
September 2008: Hat-Trick Against Sheffield United
On September 23, 2008, Carlos Vela scored a hat-trick against Sheffield United in the League Cup.
May 2009: First Premier League Goal for Arsenal
On May 2, 2009, Carlos Vela scored his first goal in the Premier League for Arsenal away to Portsmouth.
July 2009: 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup
In July 2009, Carlos Vela represented Mexico at the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup. He returned from an injury and scored the winning penalty against Costa Rica to send them to the final. He also played in the final against the United States where Mexico won 5-0.
October 2009: Goal and Assist in World Cup Qualifying Match
In October 2009, Carlos Vela scored a goal and provided an assist in a 4–1 victory against El Salvador during a World Cup qualifying match, helping Mexico qualify for the tournament.
November 2009: First Premier League Appearance of the Season
On November 21, 2009, Carlos Vela made his first Premier League appearance of the season, playing 21 minutes as a substitute against Sunderland.
December 2009: Renewed Contract with Arsenal
On December 10, 2009, Carlos Vela renewed his contract with Arsenal.
May 2010: 50th Game in an Arsenal Shirt
On May 4, 2010, Carlos Vela played his 50th game in an Arsenal shirt, against Blackburn Rovers. On May 9, he scored the fourth goal of Arsenal's victory over Fulham.
June 2010: First International Goal Against a European Team
In June 2010, Carlos Vela scored his first international goal against a team from Europe, in a friendly match against Italy, helping Mexico win 2–1. In the opening match of the World cup against South Africa, he was subbed out due to injury.
September 2010: Suspension from Mexico National Team
In September 2010, Carlos Vela and teammate Efraín Juárez were suspended from the Mexico national team for six months for their involvement in a party following a game with Colombia. Vela and other players were also fined, with the money going to flood victims in Veracruz.
September 2010: Goal Against Bolton Wanderers and Two Goals in Champions League
In September 2010, Carlos Vela scored his first goal of the season against Bolton Wanderers on September 11. On September 15, Vela scored two goals in the UEFA Champions League when Arsenal beat Portuguese side Braga 6–0.
2010: Loan to West Brom
Carlos Vela joined West Brom on loan until the end of the 2010–11 season.
2010: Participated in the FIFA World Cup
In 2010, Carlos Vela participated in the FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
January 2011: Joined West Brom on Loan
On January 28, 2011, Carlos Vela joined West Brom on loan until the end of the 2010–11 season.
February 2011: First Goal for West Brom
On February 20, 2011, Carlos Vela scored his first goal for West Brom against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
March 2011: Return to National Team After Suspension
After a suspension, Carlos Vela returned to the national team in March 2011 for a friendly match against Venezuela after being called up by coach José Manuel de la Torre. This marked his final match with the national team for three years, and he was subsequently omitted from the Gold Cup-winning squad that year.
August 2011: Loan to Real Sociedad
On August 15, 2011, Arsenal announced that Carlos Vela would be loaned out to Spanish club Real Sociedad, and he was officially presented on August 17, 2011.
December 2011: Scored Bicycle Kick Goal for Real Sociedad
On December 4, 2011, Carlos Vela scored a bicycle kick goal to equalise for Real Sociedad against Málaga.
2011: Settled at Real Sociedad
In 2011, Carlos Vela settled at Real Sociedad, initially on loan before making the move permanent the following season, after loan spells at other clubs.
February 2012: Wish to Stay with Real Sociedad
In early February 2012, Carlos Vela expressed his desire to stay in Spain with Real Sociedad and not return to Arsenal.
July 2012: Transferred to Real Sociedad
On July 17, 2012, Carlos Vela was officially transferred to Real Sociedad from Arsenal for an undisclosed fee.
2012: Played on the Right Wing
During the 2012–13 season, Carlos Vela played predominantly on the right wing and scored 14 goals, as well as having nine assists.
March 2013: Vela Declines World Cup Qualifiers Call-up
In March 2013, Carlos Vela declined a call-up to join the national team for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers against the United States and Honduras, citing personal reasons for his decision.
September 2013: Vela Declines World Cup Qualifiers Call-up Again
In September 2013, Víctor Manuel Vucetich called up Carlos Vela for World Cup qualifiers against Panama and Costa Rica. However, Vela declined once again to come back to the national team.
2013: Progression to Champions League Group Stages
In 2013, Carlos Vela scored twice to confirm Real Sociedad's progression to the group stages of the Champions League. On November 23, he scored four goals in La Real's 4–3 win over Celta Vigo.
January 2014: La Liga Player of the Month
On January 20, 2014, Carlos Vela was announced as the La Liga Player of the Month for December due to his performances.
February 2014: Meeting with Mexican Football Federation
In February 2014, new national team coach Miguel Herrera and officials from the Mexican Football Federation met with Carlos Vela in Spain. Vela expressed he was not "100 percent mentally ready to represent Mexico", ruling out participation in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
May 2014: Scored Against Granada
On May 5, 2014, Carlos Vela scored in the 1–1 draw against Granada. He was also nominated at the season's LFP Awards for the Best Forward in the league, and voted by fans as Best Player of the Season.
September 2014: First Goal of the Season
On September 1, 2014, Carlos Vela scored his first goal of the 2014–15 season in Real Sociedad's 4–2 win against Real Madrid.
November 2014: Return to National Team
In November 2014, Carlos Vela made his return to the Mexico national team.
November 2014: Vela Scores Twice on Return to National Team
In November 2014, after a three-year absence, Carlos Vela accepted a call-up from Miguel Herrera to the national team for friendly matches against the Netherlands and Belarus. On November 12, he scored twice on his return as Mexico defeated the Dutch 3–2 at the Amsterdam Arena.
January 2015: Knee Injury
On January 31, 2015, Carlos Vela was subbed off in the 17th minute during Real Sociedad's 1–4 league defeat to Real Madrid due to a knee injury.
October 2015: First Two Goals of the Season
On October 25, 2015, Carlos Vela scored his first two goals of the 2015–16 season in Real Sociedad's 4–0 win over Levante.
2015: Participation in the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
In 2015, Carlos Vela participated in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, scoring in the opening match against Cuba on July 9th and against Trinidad and Tobago on July 15th. He received two yellow cards in the quarterfinal and semi-final matches, causing him to miss the final against Jamaica.
2015: Breaking Sebastian Giovinco's Record
In 2019, Carlos Vela broke Sebastian Giovinco's 2015 MLS single-season record of most combined goals and assists.
March 2016: Suspension and Fine for Attending Concert
In March 2016, Carlos Vela was separated from Real Sociedad's first team and fined after failing to report to training, claiming gastroenteritis, while a photo surfaced of him at a Chris Brown concert in Madrid. He missed the match against Celta Vigo but later appeared as a substitute in the loss.
November 2016: Birth of Son Romeo
In November 2016, Carlos Vela became a father to a son, Romeo, with his then-girlfriend Saioa Cañibano.
2016: Analysis of Vela's Playing Style
In 2016, Collin Carpio commented on Carlos Vela's versatility as a player, noting his ability to be lethal cutting inside from the flanks and setting up goals for his teammates, despite typically being deployed on the right wing.
April 2017: 200th League Match for Real Sociedad
In April 2017, Carlos Vela played his 200th league match for Real Sociedad in a 3–1 victory against Sporting de Gijón. He also became the foreign player with the second-most appearances for the club behind Darko Kovačević.
August 2017: Agreement with MLS and move to Los Angeles FC
In August 2017, Real Sociedad announced an agreement with Major League Soccer for Carlos Vela to move to the league in 2018. He would join Los Angeles FC as their first Designated Player when the transfer window opened on 1 January 2018.
August 2017: Signing with Los Angeles FC
In August 2017, it was announced that Carlos Vela had been signed by Los Angeles FC, becoming the team's first designated player and officially joining the team on 1 January 2018.
December 2017: Final Match for Real Sociedad
In December 2017, Carlos Vela played his final match for Real Sociedad, scoring the final goal in the team's 3–1 win over Sevilla.
2017: Participated in the FIFA Confederations Cup
In 2017, Carlos Vela participated in the FIFA Confederations Cup.
2017: CONCACAF Cup Appearance
In 2017, Carlos Vela was called up by Ricardo Ferretti for the CONCACAF Cup against the United States, a play-off to determine CONCACAF's entry into the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. He appeared as an unused substitute in Mexico's 3–2 victory.
January 2018: Joins Los Angeles FC
Carlos Vela joined Los Angeles FC as their first Designated Player in January 2018, after an agreement was announced in August 2017.
January 2018: Official Joining of Los Angeles FC
In January 2018, Carlos Vela officially joined Los Angeles FC, becoming the first designated player of the team, after being signed in August 2017.
March 2018: Debut and First Goal with Los Angeles FC
In March 2018, Carlos Vela debuted with Los Angeles FC, providing an assist against Seattle Sounders FC, and scored his first goal against Real Salt Lake. He also scored twice in the El Tráfico derby against LA Galaxy.
May 2018: Named in Mexico's World Cup Squad
In May 2018, Carlos Vela was named in Mexico's preliminary 28-man squad for the World Cup, and was ultimately included in the final 23-man roster in June.
July 2018: Captain in the 2018 MLS All-Star Game
In July 2018, Carlos Vela was voted to captain the MLS side in the 2018 MLS All-Star Game against Juventus, which they lost 5–3 in penalties after a 1-1 tie.
September 2018: Two Assists Against San Jose Earthquakes
In September 2018, Carlos Vela provided two assists to Walker Zimmerman in the 2–0 victory over San Jose Earthquakes.
November 2018: Named in MLS Best XI of 2018
In November 2018, Carlos Vela was named into the MLS Best XI of 2018.
2018: World Cup Appearance
In 2018, Carlos Vela appeared in the World Cup, marking his final appearance with the national team, as declared in May 2020.
2018: Participated in the FIFA World Cup
In 2018, Carlos Vela participated in the FIFA World Cup.
2018: Contract Extension
On June 24, 2014, Vela signed a four-year contract extension which will keep him at Real Sociedad until 2018.
January 2019: Martino Named Manager, Vela Not Called Up
In January 2019, Gerardo Martino was named as the new manager for the national team and did not call up Carlos Vela for his first friendlies in March, stating he wanted to evaluate other players.
March 2019: First Hat-Trick with LAFC
In March 2019, Carlos Vela scored his first hat-trick with LAFC in their 5–0 away win against the San Jose Earthquakes.
2019: Captain for 2019 MLS All-Star Game
Carlos Vela was voted as captain for the second consecutive season via social media for the 2019 MLS All-Star Game against Atlético Madrid.
2019: Target Commercial Appearance
During the 2019 Major League Soccer season, Carlos Vela appeared in a Target commercial alongside LAFC teammate Adama Diomande and other MLS players.
2019: Record-Breaking Season and MLS Golden Boot
In 2019, Carlos Vela equaled and surpassed records for goals and combined goals/assists in a single MLS season, clinching the playoffs and Supporters' Shield with LAFC. He finished the season with a record 34 goals and 15 assists, earning him the MLS Golden Boot award. With a goal on July 26, 2019 he drew level with Erick Torres as the highest scoring Mexican in MLS history with 36 goals.
2019: MLS MVP Award and Playoff Performance
In 2019, Carlos Vela scored twice and assisted once in a playoff win against the LA Galaxy but LAFC was eliminated in the Western Conference Finals. Vela won the MLS Most Valuable Player Award and finished in the global top ten of goalscorers with 38 goals.
2019: Interest from Barcelona
Prior to the beginning of the 2019 season, there was reported interest from Spanish club Barcelona to acquire Carlos Vela on loan, with Vela eventually revealing it was very close to happening.
February 2020: CONCACAF Champions League Debut and Qualification
In February 2020, Carlos Vela played his first professional match against a Mexican club, León, in the CONCACAF Champions League. He later scored a brace in the second leg to help LAFC qualify for the quarter-finals.
March 2020: Vela Obtains Green Card
On March 4, 2020, Los Angeles FC announced that Carlos Vela had obtained a green card, qualifying him as a domestic player for Major League Soccer roster purposes.
May 2020: Vela Declares 2018 World Cup as Final Appearance
In May 2020, Carlos Vela declared that the 2018 World Cup was his final appearance with the national team.
October 2020: Birth of Daughter India
In October 2020, Carlos Vela became a father for the second time to a daughter, India, also with Saioa Cañibano, whom he married.
April 2021: Match against Austin FC and Injury
In April 2021, Carlos Vela played his first match against Austin FC but was subbed off early due to injury.
February 2022: Hattrick at the Start of 2022 MLS Season
In February 2022, Carlos Vela began the 2022 MLS Season with a hattrick, scoring all of his team's goals in the victory against Colorado Rapids.
2022: Won MLS Cup with Los Angeles FC
In 2022, Carlos Vela won a second Supporters' Shield as well as lift the MLS Cup with Los Angeles FC.
April 2023: Brace against Whitecaps and MOTM performance in El Tráfico
In April 2023, Carlos Vela scored a brace against the Whitecaps in the CCL quarter-final second leg. Five days later, Vela produced a MOTM performance in an El Tráfico victory, scoring a brace and adding an assist.
2023: End of contract with LAFC
Carlos Vela's contract with LAFC ran out at the end of the 2023 season, and his last match was a 2–1 defeat against Columbus Crew in the MLS Cup Final. He made a personal-best 49 appearances throughout the season, and scored 14 goals.
September 2024: Re-signing with LAFC
On 16 September 2024, Carlos Vela re-signed with LAFC until the end of the 2024 season, with an option to add another year.
November 2024: Club Declines 2025 Option
In November 2024, LAFC decided not to activate Carlos Vela's 2025 option, after only played four minutes since rejoining the team.
January 2025: Home Destroyed in Palisades Fire
On January 8, 2025, Carlos Vela's home in Malibu was destroyed in the Palisades Fire, but Vela and his family were able to escape without injury.
2025: Option Declined for 2025
In November 2024, LAFC decided not to activate Carlos Vela's 2025 option, after only played four minutes since rejoining the team.
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