Carlos Vela spoke to FanSided about his first season in MLS, sharing a city with LeBron James and Mexico’s World Cup.
Carlos Vela has impressed in his first year in MLS, scoring eight goals and adding three assists for the expansion LAFC, currently fifth in the Wester Conference standings with 11 games to play in the regular season.
Vela also starred for the Mexican national team in the World Cup in Russia. El Tri‘s tournament got off to a perfect start as they shocked Germany 1-0 in their opening game, but they ultimately exited in the round of 16 for the seventh consecutive World Cup.
On Tuesday, Vela spoke to FanSided about his first year in MLS, the ups and downs of Mexico’s World Cup campaign, LAFC’s bid to make the playoffs in their first season and why he still prefers watching the NBA to soccer.
“Yes, 100 percent,” said Vela when asked whether he prefers to watch hoops. “I think soccer, I like to play, it feels good, I enjoy. But when I finish my job, finish my game, I don’t want to look at any game. I prefer to watch NBA.”
His favorite player?
“LeBron, and now he’s in LA I’m really happy. Now I feel like … if I have any questions about why I’m here, now it’s clear. It’s the best place to be.”
When he was younger, Vela even considered pursuing basketball as a career, but ultimately thought better of it: “You have the choice, and I said, ‘look, Carlos, you like basketball, but be clever. You are better at soccer.'”
Vela was also named captain of the MLS All-Stars earlier this summer, and expressed is gratitude for the fans who voted him in. “It’s a special moment because the fans vote for that,” he said. “It’s good when you feel like the fans like you and love you. So thank you to anyone that voted for me.