Carlos Vela Biography

Carlos Vela nationality

is Mexican and he captains the American club Los Angeles FC. Vela is a versatile player who is capable of playing as a forward, winger, and attacking midfielder. The footballer is an agile player with a unique style of play. His rare methods have enabled him to score numerous goals during his career.

Carlos Vela is a product of the Mexican club Guadalajara. He established himself as a professional player and caught the attention of big clubs with his remarkable goal scoring abilities, making a name for himself over the years. Find out all the details about Carlos Vela life story in this article.

Details About Carlos Vela Biography You Probably Didn’t Know 

In his early days, he was highly regarded as a promising young player. Arsene Wenger, the former manager of Arsenal praised him for his great performance and described him: “...naturally gifted, quick, intelligent and with very good technique.” He also labeled him as a "special talent", stating "I like [Vela's] intelligence and his pace. He scores goals, but he can also create them.” Stay tuned for more details about Carlos Vela biography.

Carlos Vela Information

Before we get into the details of

Carlos Vela childhood

and early life we will fill you in with the details of his bio and other information.  

Carlos Vela Bio

• Full name: Carlos Alberto Vela Garrido

• Nickname: Bomber, Hyena

Personal Information

• Carlos Vela date of birth: 1 March 1989

• Zodiac sign: Pisces

• Place of birth: Cancun, Mexico

• Carlos Vela religion: Christian

• Carlos Vela nationality: Mexican

• Father’s name: Enrique Vela

• Mother’s name: Nella Garrido

• Brother’s name: Alejandro Vela

• Marital status: married

• Wife’s name: Saioa Cañibano

• Children: Romeo Vela

Body Measurements

• Height: 1.78 m

• Weight: 74 kg

• Hair Color: Black

• Eye Color: Dark brown

Football Information

• Position: Forward, winger, attacking midfielder

• Debut in profession: 2006-Salamanca (loan)

• Clubs served: Salamanca, Osasuna, Arsenal, West Bromwich Albion, Real Sociedad, Real Sociedad

• Current club: Los Angeles FC

Carlos Vela Early Life 

Carlos Alberto Vela Garrido was born on 1 March 1989 in Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico to his father Enrique Vela who worked as an iron welder from Campeche and his mother a housekeeper from Tabasco. Based on

Carlos Vela date of birth

, his zodiac sign is Pisces. His father was a former football player who retired due to an injury caused by a torn ligament. As a kid, Vela was passionate about football and his father encouraged him to become a professional player and enrolled him into local football teams. 

The young footballer first started at a Ko Cha Wolis which means Kicking Round Ball in the Mayan language. He established himself as a professional player there and improved his performance a lot. In addition to football Vela was also interested in basketball. His coaches were not happy about this and asked him to focus just on one sport. Eventually, he decided to go for football and fully dedicate himself to the game. At the same time, his father was frustrated because nobody could see his son’s potentials as they were living in Cancun.

But things took another turn as José Luis Real of C.D. Guadalajara's youth system scouted the young footballer back in 2001. He was included in the youth squad in a tournament at Buenos Aires with Guadalajara. In 2003 while Vela was playing in a local competition held in Ciudad Victoria he drew attention with his performance and got a lot of offers.

Carlos Vela Profile

Over the years Vela played in different clubs and made a name for himself. Based on

Carlos Vela bio

and as we mentioned before he is a versatile player who plays as a forward, winger, and attacking midfielder. Now without further adding let’s dive into his history in different clubs.

Guadalajara

Vela officially joined

in 2003. However, he was never included in the club’s first-team squad. Later he played along with this brother Alejandro at the club who is now a former player. At the same time, he managed to win the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship with Mexico national team and finished by scoring five-goal which turned him into a top goal scorer. His victorious performance didn’t go unnoticed by the president of Guadalajara and eventually, he agreed to sign a contract with him. 

As a condition of his contract Vela asked the club to help relocate them so he could be with his family who lives in Cancun. Vela held great respect and affection toward his father. His dad’s birthday was on the same day Mexico beat Brazil in the final of the U-17 World Cup and Vela in honor of his father carried the cup and dedicated his golden boot to him.

Arsenal 

Vela’s great performance drew attention from big clubs and they competed to get him on board. Eventually,

managed to reach an agreement with the gifted player. He remained at the club for three seasons and played 50 games but due to work permit restrictions for those who don’t have European citizenship, he couldn’t play in

. Arsenal quickly loaned Vela to Spain-based club Celta de Vigo in February 2006. But it didn’t work out and he came back without featuring in any games.

Salamanca and Osasuna (Loan)

By the end of the season the footballer was loaned to second division club in Spain for the 2006-07 season. Vela had a good spell at the club as he assisted all Salamanca's 53 goals and scored 8 of which himself. His goal scoring abilities drew attention from big clubs like Osasuna. He moved to Osasuna on a one-year loan with the option to extend for another year. On 31 October 2007, he aimed the net and scored his first goal for the club in a game over Real Betis. Football experts praised him for his performance. Stay tuned for more details about Carlos Vela biography.

Return to Arsenal

On 22 May 2008, Vela made a comeback to Arsenal following his work permit to freely play in England. The club’s manager,

declared that Vela will be included in the first team squad as a striker in Eduardo's shoes. The footballer made his debut for the side on 30 August 2008, in a game over

, substituting Robin van Persie in the 63rd minute and at the end Arsenal won the game 3-0. 

On 23 September 2008, Vela fully featured in a League Cup and managed to score a hat trick in a 6-0 thrashing of Sheffield United. His second goal was named Arsenal's Greatest 50 Goals. This game was also notable for having such a young squad all on the average of 19. Vela scored his first goal in Premier League in an away game over Portsmouth on 2 May 2009. This made him the second Mexican player to score in the Premier League. Find out more details about

Carlos Vela biography

in the following.

Real Sociedad

Vela had short spells at West Bromwich Albion and Real Sociedad on loan. On 17 July 2012 he officially signed a contract with the

for an unknown fee. In the 2012-13 season he made strong performances on the right wing while scoring 14 goals and assisting 9 others. On 10 April 2017, the Mexican player attended his 200th league game for the side in a 3-1 win over Sporting de Gijon. He became the foreign footballer with the second most appearances for Real Sociedad after Darko Kovacevic.

Los Angeles FC

On August 2017, Vela signed a contract with the American club Los Angeles FC and became the first designated player of the team. He debuted for the side on 4 March 2018, in a 1-0 win against Seattle Sounders FC, assisting Diego Rossi’s only goal in the game. On 31 March, Vela was named the first player ever to score in the El Trafico derby over LA Galaxy. He grabbed a brace in a 2-0 victory against Vancouver Whitecaps. Vela went on and made lots of wonders at the club. 

In November 2018, he was included in the

Best XI of 2018. In the 2020 season after the CONCACAF Champions League's presumption and during the Coronavirus pandemic he managed to aim the net for a penalty equalizer in the side quarter-final win over Cruz Azul. On 19 December, vela grabbed a brace in the first two minutes of a LAFC's semi-final game over Club América in a 3-1 win. Los Angeles FC became the first MLS team to thrash three Mexican teams in the same Champions League tournament. Football experts praised Vela for his great performance and goal scoring abilities.

In an interview with Los Angeles Times he was asked whether he is the best player in MLS or not and he answered: “Maybe. I don’t know. You have to answer that question. I work hard to be the best. So after that it depends what the opinions are. But yeah, I feel I’m doing well. I feel like if I work hard and if I work in a good way, I’m close to being the best. And like I say, it’s my goal to be the MVP again.” Stay tuned for more details about

Carlos Vela biography

.

International Career 

The footballer first made appearance on international level, featuring in the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship. Vela scoring abilities helped Mexico which earned him the top goal scorer title with 5 goals and claiming Adidas Golden Boot. He was included in the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup squad. He scored in the team’s opening game over Cuba on 9 July. He was also called up in the next CONCACAF Cup but he was an unused substitute in the Mexico's 3–2 victory. On 23 June 2018, during the second group stage game over South Korea, he scored the side first goal with a penalty shoot in the 2-1 win.

This was his first World Cup goal for Mexico national team. In January 2019, Gerardo Martino was appointed as the new manager of Mexico and he didn’t include the player in the squad, stating that he was looking for other players. However, this didn’t mean Vela wouldn't be part of national team in the future. In May, Vela declared that he wasn’t interested in being part of the team in the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup. In November he stated that he was willing to come back if he received a call up. In May 2020, Vela made it official that 2018

was his last appearance on international level.

Style of Play 

A top goal scorer with unique style of play, these features has turned Vela into a tough opponent to go up against. He has been described to “beat his man off the dribble,” and “his linking up with teammates presents danger. [Looking through his first season] shows his willingness to work combinations across the entire attacking third of the pitch.” He is well known for his pace, technique and vision on the field. Collin Carpio has stated about him: “when he's in-form, the 27-year-old can be lethal cutting inside from the flanks, and he's proven that he can setup goals for his teammates.”

Reception 

Carlo Vela showed everyone how talented he is on the pitch by scoring numerous goals over the years for the clubs he served and also Mexico national team. Arsene Wenger the ex- coach of Arsenal praised Vela on many occasions. In an interview with Fox Sports back in 2019 he commented: “When he was young I think he was a bit of a joke, now he’s smarter and understands better because he’s close to 30, it’s time he was in his best shape. He was a super talent at the age of 17 in the World Cup (Peru 2005) and I always regretted that he could not stand out at Arsenal.”

Cesc Fabregas the gifted Spanish midfielder complimented the player by stating: “For me Carlos (Vela) is one of the players with the best definition that I have ever played with, I have it very clear and I saw him at Arsenal, I saw him at Real, I saw him when he was loaned to Celta, I see him now at the MLS. I have no doubt that Carlos has been a phenomenon and if it has not been more it has been because he did not want to and I have always told him that.” Find out more details about

Carlos Vela biography

in the following.

Goal Celebration 

When it comes to celebrating his goals, Vela runs in joy and occasionally raise his fist in the air as a sign of victory or just goes for the traditional finger wag.

Carlos Vela Outside Football 

Carlos Vela religion

is Christian and as they say behind every successful man there is woman. The same goes for the Mexican top goal scorer too. Carlos Vela is a married man. He spends most of his time with his lovely wife and kids. Just with a quick look on the footballer’s Instagram you will find out that how affectionate he is toward his family.

 Carlos Vela Personal Life 

Carlos Vela was spotted with Mexican actress Altair Jarabo in 2010 and he also was linked with Instagram model Shanik Aspe however he didn’t get along with his ex-girlfriends and he parted ways with them. After his failed relationships and at the same time he served at Real Sociedad he met the beautiful Saioa Canibano. The romance started to flourish between the couple and they bonded very well. 

They welcomed their first child in 2016, a boy named Romeo. The couple tied the knot in 2018 as they said their vows and became husband and wife among their family and friends. Saioa Canibano is a stunning Spanish blogger on Instagram with hippie life style. More than 160k people follow her on Instagram and keep up with her daily routine. You can find her by the username of @saioaa. Find out more details in the following. Find out all the details about

Carlos Vela life story

in the following.

Family, children and relationships

Recently the couple welcomed their second child, a baby girl named India in Los Angeles. Vela announced the news via a post on Instagram and captioned: “We can’t stop watching our beautiful little princess.” Vela’s wife is very supportive of her man. She has his back in every up and down. On his birthday she posted a selfie of herself along with her husband and captioned: “Happy birthday my love. Here’s to many more years to come.” On 4 March 2020, Los Angeles Fc handed it’s captain his greed card and qualified him to be a domestic footballer for MLS. 

In an interview he was asked whether he would stay in LA after he retired or not and he responded: “Honestly, I don’t know. I’m open for everything. I think the most important thing is who you are with. If I have my family close, if I feel I have a couple of friends, it doesn’t matter where you are. Doesn’t matter if it’s America or Mexico. I’ve always said I want to be some day in Australia. I’ve never been in Australia. I don’t have friends there but maybe we’ll live in Australia in a few years. We never know. Find out more details about Carlos Vela biography in the following.

Philanthropy

Los Angeles captain has donated his shirt from the 2018 Russia World Cup to help the Hispanic people who are suffering during the Coronavirus pandemic. In his last appearance on an international level, Vela helped his country defeat

. In an interview with Contacto Deportivo, he stated about the subject: “Playing the World Cup is a great accomplishment and it's an honor to be able to represent your country. After playing against a historic team like Brazil, it makes it even more valuable. That was the last time I played for Mexico’s national team, and I don’t know if I will ever do it again.”

Legal Issues 

In November 2020, Vela’s former club from his early career, Ko Cha Wolis in Cancun sued him for training and development rights. After months and months of legal battle, the Los Angeles captain managed to win the lawsuit. Vela first started his career with Ko Cha Wolis in 2001 until 2003.

Based on articles 20 and 21 of FIFA’s regulations about the transfer of players, all clubs receive compensation each time the footballer gets transferred until he turns 23-years-old. This was the reason why Ko Cha Wolis sued the player. However, the court’s decision ruled in favor of Carlos Vela and Ko Cha Wolis has to pay nearly 400 thousand dollars to the court, the fees for Vela’s lawyer, and a sum of money to the Mexican Football Federation. For more details about Carlos Vela biography keep on reading.

Carlos Vela Career Statistics

Over the years Carlos Vela served in different clubs and made a name for himself as a top goals scorer and a creative player. Find out all the details about Vela’s number of performances and goals he scored both in clubs and national team in the following.

Club 

Vela had short spells with

and

from his mother club Arsenal. In Salamanca, he made 32 appearances and scored 8 goals. In the latter, he made 33 La Liga appearances while scoring three goals for the side. Then he came back to his mother club Arsenal and stayed for 3 seasons while featuring in 62 games and scoring 11 goals. Then he was loaned to West Bromwich Albion and Real Sociedad on short spells. He made eight appearances for West Bromwich Albion in a season and scored 2 goals.

For the latter, he featured in 37 games and scored 12 goals. On 17 July 2012, he officially was transferred from Arsenal to Real Sociedad in the 2012-13 season. He remained at the club for six seasons while making 213 appearances and scoring 61 goals for the side. In 2018, he officially reached an agreement with the American club Los Angeles. So far he has featured in 92 games while aiming the net for 66 goals.

International

On international level he featured in 72 games while scoring 19 goals before making his final appearance in 2018 World Cup.

Managerial

Carlos Vela has no plans for his managerial career yet.

Carlos Vela Honors 

Over the years has proven himself as a creative player with excellent goal scoring abilities. He has brought honor both for clubs he served and Mexico national team. Find out all the details in the following.

Los Angeles FC

• Supporters' Shield: 2019

Mexico U17

• FIFA U-17 World Cup: 2005

Mexico

• CONCACAF Gold Cup: 2009, 2015

• CONCACAF Cup: 2015

Individual

• FIFA U-17 World Cup Golden Boot: 2005

• Real Sociedad Player of the Year: 2011–12, 2013–14

• La Liga Player of the Month: December 2013, November 2014

• MLS All-Star: 2018, 2019

• MLS Best XI: 2018, 2019

• MLS Player of the Month: March 2019, April 2019, September 2019

• MLS Golden Boot: 2019

• MLS MVP Award: 2019

• CONCACAF Champions League Team of the Tournament: 2020

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