Carlos Vela

Carlos Alberto Vela Garrido (born 1 March 1989 in Cancún, Quintana Roo) is a Mexican Association football player, currently playing as a striker for Premier League club Arsenal F.C.. He also plays for the Mexico national football team. He started his career at Mexican club C.D. Guadalajara, and caught the eye after finishing as the top scorer at the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship. After joining Arsenal, he has had loan spells at Spanish clubs UD Salamanca and CA Osasuna.

Aside from his Mexican nationality, Vela also holds a Spanish passport.

Club career

Guadalajara

Carlos Vela's career started with Guadalajara, alongside his brother Alejandro Vela. After winning the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship with Mexico and finishing as the top scorer with five goals, Jorge Vergara, owner and president of Chivas de Guadalajara, offered to sign him. Since Vela's family lived in the then-recently-storm-stricken Cancún, Quintana Roo, 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.

Arsenal

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 £125k fee that will rise to £550k if he...
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