Carlos Vela is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a forward for Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC and the Mexico national team. Starting his career at Mexican club Guadalajara, he caught the attention of major European clubs after claiming Golden Boot at the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship, which the Mexican team won by defeating Brazil. He finally joined the Premier League club Arsenal, but spent most of his time there on loan spells at Spanish clubs like Salamanca, Osasuna and then Real Sociedad, where he eventually decided to stay as a permanent player for six seasons. He also played for the English club West Bromwich Albion as a loan player during his time with Arsenal. While he helped the Mexican national team win the CONCACAF Gold Cup and participated in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, he shunned national duty for three years citing personal reasons before returning in November 2014.
