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MOSCOW — Los Angeles FC’s Carlos Vela is one of three Major League Soccer players facing world champions Germany at the Luzhniki Stadium on Sunday.
It is in many ways a daunting task for Mexico as Germany was able to select from more than 50 players playing in Europe’s top leagues to put together the side that will try to defend its 2014 FIFA World Cup title.
Added to this are the memories of last summer’s 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. Germany, which had taken a weakened side to the tournament, had an easy time dispatching Mexico in the semifinal 4-1.
Carlos Vela was forced to watch that particular match from the bench.
“[Germany] is one of the best teams in the world, but Mexico has the chance to win this game. We have to play like [we can win] against any opponent. It doesn’t matter if it is Germany, Haiti or Portugal, we want to win, and we intend to work towards that,” Vela explained to the media.
What sort of role will Vela would play at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, however, was put in doubt. After all, by joining LAFC, there was a certain sense among Mexico supporters and journalists that the 29-year-old forward was throwing away his career.
There were even suggestions that leaving Europe to play for the expansion franchise LAFC could jeopardise Vela’s career with El Tri. After all, back in November 2017 when the move was announced, Mexico head coach Juan Osorio was clear he wanted to have his best players in Europe rather than in MLS.
Scoring seven goals in 12 games, Vela, however, has been in stellar form for LAFC this season. The performances for his new team quickly made any rumblings that playing in MLS could jeopardise his national team career dissipate.
It is, however, not just his on-field performances that have stood out. Moving from La Liga to LAFC also meant that Vela was pushed into a leadership role. The Mexican is now the most recognized player on the squad.
Teammates have spoken ahead of the World Cup about the importance of having a world-class player like Vela turn out for LAFC:
“He has helped me grow my talent,” Vela’s teammate Latif Blessing said.
“100 percent he lifts the players, which is not something you expect with players of bigger personality,” LAFC’s Marc Anthony Kaye explained. “I know that he has my back, which gives me confidence in myself and my abilities to perform on the field.”
So despite the doubts of whether Vela could still deliver for Mexico following his move to North America, he was nominated alongside fellow MLS stars Giovani and Jonathan dos Santos to represent El Tri in Russia — and he was placed in the starting lineup when Mexico kicked off against Germany Sunday morning.
Osorio started with three forwards: Hirving Lozano to play on the left, Javier “Chicharito” Hernández in the center and on the right, Vela.
It’s justification for the MLS forward one year after being left on the bench, having to watch his teammates taken apart by the world champions.