Carlos Alberto Vela Garrido (born 1 March 1989) is a Mexican professional footballer who most recently played for Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC.
A versatile offensive player, Vela has been deployed as a forward, winger, and attacking midfielder.
Carlos Alberto Vela Garrido was born 1 March 1989 in Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico to Enrique Vela, an iron welder from Campeche, and Nella Garrido, a stay-at-home mother from Tabasco.
His father played semi-professional football but an injury caused by a torn ligament caused him to retire.
Vela's father enrolled him into local football teams.
Vela's first club was Ko Cha Wolis, which translates to "Kicking Round Ball" in Mayan.
He learned a lot and made significant development and progress during his time spent there, according to Félix Alcalá, his coach at the time.
In school, Vela played both basketball and football simultaneously, which caused many problems between his coaches.
His father made him decide to focus on only one sport at the age of 12, in which Vela chose football.
Enrique Vela was frustrated at the fact that his son was not being scouted due to living in Cancún.
2001
Around the same time, José Luis Real of C.D. Guadalajara's youth system sent scouts to Cancún in 2001, where Vela caught their eye.
He was summoned to a youth tournament in Buenos Aires with Guadalajara as a small trial period with unpaid expenses.
2003
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.
He eventually joined Guadalajara in 2003, though he never received a call up to the club's first-team squad, thus not being able to make his professional debut in Mexico.
Vela's career started with Guadalajara, alongside his brother Alejandro.
2005
Vela started his career at Mexican club Guadalajara, where he caught the eye of various European clubs after finishing as the top scorer at the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship, eventually joining Premier League club Arsenal that year.
After winning the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship with Mexico and finishing as the top scorer with five goals, Jorge Vergara, owner and club president of Guadalajara, agreed to sign him.
Since Vela's family lived in the then-recently-storm-stricken Cancún, he asked that the club help relocate them as a condition of his signing.
Vela had previously shown his great affection to his father, whose birthday fell on the day on which Mexico beat Brazil in the final of the U-17 World Cup, by carrying the cup to his father and dedicating his Golden Boot to him.
Vela attracted interest from a number of European clubs, and eventually Arsenal won the race for his signature in November 2005 on a five-year deal for a £125,000 fee that rose to £550,000 after he played 50 first-team games.
2006
However, since English work permit restrictions for non-EU citizens prevented him from playing in England, Arsenal quickly loaned him out to Spanish club Celta Vigo in February 2006, but he was returned right away with no games played.
At the end of the season, Vela was sent to Spanish Segunda División club Salamanca, on loan for the 2006–07 season.
He had a successful stay there, creating many of Salamanca's 53 goals, eight of which he scored himself.
After his loan spell with Salamanca ended, bigger clubs of La Liga, such as Levante, Osasuna, and Almería, were all interested in taking him on loan from Arsenal for whom he was still ineligible to play as he still had yet to receive a work permit.
Eventually, a one-year loan move to Osasuna was agreed, with the option of an extension for another year.
No permanent option, however, had been included in the deal.
2007
Vela made his debut with the senior Mexico national team in 2007 in a friendly match against Brazil, and scored his first goal for his country in a friendly against Guatemala.
On 31 October 2007, he scored his first goal with Osasuna, in a match against Real Betis, a performance that went on to earn several plaudits from the Spanish press.
2008
On 22 May 2008, Vela was granted a work permit that allowed him to play in England.
Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger confirmed that Vela would be involved with the first team in the coming season and that he viewed Vela as a striker in Eduardo's mould.
Vela made his competitive debut for Arsenal on 30 August 2008 in their Premier League match against Newcastle United, coming on as a substitute for Robin van Persie in the 63rd minute.
Arsenal won the match 3–0.
2009
He participated in Mexico's CONCACAF Gold Cup victory in 2009, and participated in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
2011
After joining Arsenal, he had loan spells at Spanish clubs Salamanca and Osasuna, as well as fellow English club West Bromwich Albion, settling with Real Sociedad in 2011, initially on loan and then permanently the following season.
In his six-year spell with La Real, Vela played in 250 matches and scored 73 goals.
2014
Vela rejected all subsequent call-ups for more than three years, including friendlies, World Cup qualifiers, and various major tournaments including the 2014 FIFA World Cup, citing various reasons for his refusals.
In November 2014, Vela made his return to the national team and participated in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2018 FIFA World Cup.
2018
In January 2018, he joined Los Angeles FC, winning the Supporters' Shield and the MLS Golden Boot in his second year, and setting a new league record for most goals in a season, with 34.
He was also voted Most Valuable Player.
In 2022, Vela would win a second Supporters' Shield as well as lift the MLS Cup.
