Why doesn't Carlos Vela play for Mexico's national team?

No doubt this is the question that many Mexicans ask themselves every time their team has to play an important match: why doesn't Carlos Vela play for the Mexican national team?

The question takes on more force now that Mexico is struggling to secure its ticket to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar 2022, as the Mexican has been called up by Gerardo Martino and has simply said no.  

Vela's reasons for not wanting to play with the Mexican national team

As far as is known, Carlos Vela has revealed that he is no longer interested in playing with the Mexican national team. 

He made that clear to Gerardo Martino when the coach of El Tri approached him in June of this year to invite him to play in the CONCACAF qualifiers. 

The Bombardero's response was polite but concise: his priority more than anything else was to enjoy his personal life and get results for his club, MLS side LAFC. 

In an interview conducted by Los Angeles Times en Español, reporter Eduardo Cauich, "Tata" explained the response he had obtained from Vela.

After speaking with the player, Martino revealed to the press: "He told me that he preferred to give priority to both his club and his family, and so the situation practically ended at that moment". 

The tactician also explained: "And I think that for a person as thoughtful as Carlos, who is very clear about what he wants to do, it is very important to define it calmly and above all to be consistent with his ideas. 

Vela had already said that he was no longer interested in playing for El Tri

In April of this year and for the Los Angeles Times, the player had already been blunt about the question that all Mexicans want to be answered. 

When the reporter asked him why he does not play with El Tri, Vela calmly replied that he was not interested. 

"I honestly don't think about that (National Team and World Cup in Qatar). I just focus on being at my best, scoring goals, doing everything for my team. And after that, you never know," was his statement to the reporter's doubt. 

According to the media El Comentario, the player has said on several occasions that he does not like to be asked in interviews why he does not want to play for his national team.

Vela is not at his best in MLS either

The Bombardero has had 2021 full of challenges that have affected him to the point of preventing him from performing as he has in previous years in the league. 

For example, in 2019 he scored 34 goals (an MLS record) and won the MVP award, while this year, injuries have forced him to stop the scoring pace he was bringing.

The LAFC striker has missed 10 regular phase games due to injuries and this has prevented him from having regularity and reaching the level he has accustomed fans to since he arrived in Major League Soccer in 2018. 

He has also had problems of a personal nature, like the pregnancy, his wife went through has been "complicated", as the soccer player has described it. 

For this reason, the player did not accompany his team to Florida to participate in the MLS is back tournament, preferring to stay at home with his wife. 

"I would like nothing more than to be with my teammates in Orlando," said the captain of the Los Angeles team on that occasion to the Los Angeles Times. 

"However, I've decided that the most important thing for my family's health is for me to stay home during a complicated pregnancy for my wife. I will miss the group, but I will be supporting them from afar and I hope to bring the trophy back home," concluded Vela.