If we're talking technical ability and pure talent, then Carlos Vela has an argument for being the greatest Mexican player of all time—yes, he’s that good.
Ever since he introduced himself to the Mexican fans when Mexico won the 2005 U-17 World Cup, scoring a goal in the final in one of the greatest sporting achievements in the nation's history, the entire country was eager to see what the future held for Vela in the senior national team.
After Vela showcased his potential in the U-17 World Cup in Nov. 2005, Arsenal moved for Vela without him even making his professional debut for Club Guadalajara in Liga MX.
Fast forward 19 years and the future glory many hoped Vela would bring to the national team became an ancient dream. We saw glimpses, but his career in the national team never came close to meeting the expectations that were put on him—and that entire generation of U-17 champions. Although there were highs, ultimately Vela’s international career leaves Mexican fans with a bittersweet taste in their mouths.
The man born in Cancún, played in both the 2010 and 2018 World Cups, where Mexico fell in the round of 16 against Argentina and Brazil. He became another name on the list of hundreds of players and multiple generations that have failed to take Mexico to the World Cup quarterfinal since its 1986 run.
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Vela was only 21 years old when he started Mexico’s first two games in the 2010 World Cup. After an injury put an end to his tournament and Mexico was eliminated, everything pointed towards him— alongside fellow U-17 WC winner Giovani Dos Santos—leading the way towards Brazil 2014, where the U–17 generation would be hitting its prime years.
However, Vela was suspended from the national team for six months in late 2010 for throwing a party after a friendly match. This was the turning point in Vela’s career with Mexico. In March 2011 he decided to stop playing for the national team for personal reasons, and he wasn’t seen again wearing El Tri’s shirt until November 2014—almost five months after Mexico’s heartbreaking 2–1 defeat to the Netherlands in the round of 16 of the 2014 World Cup.
What makes it even harder to swallow for El Tri fans is that Vela arguably had the best season of his career in the lead up to the 2014 World Cup. He scored 16 goals and had 12 assists in 37 La Liga games for Real Sociedad. He finished fifth in combined goals and assists in La Liga that season, only behind Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Diego Costa and Alexis Sánchez.
Vela returned to El Tri and became a key piece in the squad all the way through the 2018 World Cup. He was part of one of the greatest days in Mexican World Cup history when it defeated the reigning champions Germany, 1–0. In the next game, he scored his one and only World Cup goal, a penalty in the 2–1 victory against South Korea.
Nevertheless, Mexico was eliminated once again in the round of 16, and the defeat against Brazil was the last time we saw Vela put on the national team shirt. After Russia, he confirmed he had once again declined the chance to be part of El Tri during a press conference in 2019.
“I’ve had my processes, I’ve had my opportunities, I’ve played a lot of games for the national team,” Vela said. “Nothing extraordinary happened with me as part of the national team. I think we need to give more players an opportunity, players that will surely arrive better than myself to the [2022] World Cup because I’m going to be 34 years old.”
In the 2022 World Cup, Mexico failed to make it past the group stage for the first time in 44 years.
Only weeks ago, Vela signed with LAFC after a 10-month hiatus from soccer for what’s surely the last hurrah of his playing career. During his introductory press conference he was asked about a possible return to El Tri., where he has scored 19 goals in 72 appearances.
“A lot of things would have to happen for me to even think about,” Vela said. “It’s time for the new generations to take a step forward so they can help take [the Mexican national team] where we couldn’t take them. I’ve always said, with or without me, Mexico has gotten to the same exact place.”
If this really is the end for Vela and El Tri, one of the biggest stars Mexico has ever produced would leave behind the national team with a legacy defined by what could’ve been.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Carlos Vela Is the Star That Couldn't Shine for the Mexican National Team.
