LOS ANGELES – Carlos Vela joins Mexico's preparations for the 2018 World Cup believing he can pull off something special in Russia, and that Mexico can contend for more than just another Round-of-16 slot.
The LAFC striker, off to a sensational start to his first Major League Soccer season, looks like he could be a difference-maker for El Tri, who face a difficult group slate starting with defending champion Germany and a likely second-stage showdown with Brazil.
“I feel I'm in a good moment, and I can show [that when I play for] my country,” Vela told media at LAFC's training facilities at Cal State LA last week. “I'm very prepared, I have worked a lot in the past few years to be as ready as I can and be available for the national team, and if they decided [to take me] and I'm in the tournament, I'll give my maximum effort.
“I'm in a good moment with a lot of confidence and enthusiasm, and surely good things will come of it.”
Vela is one of seven forwards on Juan Carlos Osorio's 27-man preliminary World Cup roster, appears to be a shoo-in for the final 23, and likely will partner Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez and Hirving Lozano atop a 4-3-3 or 5-2-3 alignment. Mexico head into their seventh straight World Cup following their best qualifying campaign in years, but it figures to be in a tight battle with Sweden to grab Group G's second berth in the knockout phase.
“We believe in our team, our quality, and we want to show Mexico is ready to fight with every team in the world,” Vela said. “[We need] to work on everything [before the tournament begins June 14]. I believe that in a World Cup, all the details need to be paid attention to. We can't believe that we are already prepared or that we're already the best at something, because it's not like that.
“Every day you can learn many things, every day you can become a better group, better players, better people, and the important thing is to always be prepared, always have the mentality to learn something new, and to demonstrate to yourself and your teammates that you are ready for everything.”
El Tri's mental approach has evolved, Vela says, and that will be a plus in the stern challenges they'll face in their June 17 opener against Germany in Moscow, the June 27 group finale with Sweden in Yekaterinburg, and whoever await – whether Brazil, Costa Rica, Serbia or Switzerland – should they advance to the knockout phase.
“Before, we didn’t work on [our mental approach] as much, or we didn't believe it was as important,” Vela said. “Now we're doing that. I believe the team is prepared. It helps that we have a great team. You see your teammates by your side and say, ‘Why can't I win?’
“I believe if everything comes together and we go with the positive mentality to play a great tournament, we can look for the best.”
This tournament offers Vela a little redemption after his 2010 World Cup ended with a hamstring strain in a 2-0 group triumph over France. Vela started the first two games on the left for Mexico but could only watch as El Tri lost their final group game to Uruguay and in the round of 16 to Argentina.
“I didn't enjoy the World Cup [in 2010],” he said. “That's why this one is special. I want to play, I want to enjoy the tournament, I want do do well. ... I believe it would be a beautiful thing to have a good World Cup in your career and would leave you very satisfied with your work. It would be something very beautiful, and it's something I desire.”
Vela has been revelatory for LAFC this season, scoring seven goals with five assists. Osorio was on hand at Saturday's 1-1 draw vs. D.C. United, and Vela then joined Mexico's camp in time for El Tri's Memorial Day friendly clash with Wales at the Rose Bowl.
Vela is one of three MLS players joining the group this weekend, along with brothers Giovani and Jonathan Dos Santos, who play for archrivals LA Galaxy. Jonathan is just getting back into form following a calf injury, and Giovani saw his first minutes in LA's 1-0 win Friday night over visiting San Jose since suffering a hamstring strain two weeks earlier.
“If we're all there, I believe we can be important pieces for the team,” Vela said. “Like I always say, it's not in my hands. I don't choose who goes and who doesn't, but, just like me, they're working hard to be ready. The coach can decide what's best for the team. And if that's three, or one, or two [of us] there, I believe we are going to give our most and our best.”
Germany, one of the favorites to win the World Cup, offer a thorny prospect to start the tournament. Should they defeat Mexico as expected, it would mean El Tri likely need to win their last two group games – the second game is June 23 against South Korea in Rostov – to get through. Sweden demonstrated the requisite grit for such situations in their 1-0 qualifying playoff triumph over two legs with Italy to book their trek to Russia.
Vela isn't intimidated by the Germans.
“They're the champions. They're the team that all the others want to beat,” he said. “We’ll have to play a great game, obviously preparing very well physically, being very clear about how we are going to play the game, and giving our best for the team.
“Mexico have a chance to win that game. I don't care if it's Germany or Italy or Portugal, we want to win.”
El Tri were eliminated in the Round-of-16 in the past six World Cups, and reaching the quinto partido (“fifth game”) has long been their aim. Vela sees it as just a step.
“We want the fifth and the sixth game. We want to be in the best chances in the World Cup,” he said. “We think about [the fifth game] because it's part of the process of becoming champions. If you want to be the champion, you have to get past the fifth, the sixth, the seventh game.”
“I believe it's not just the fifth game. A World Cup requires you to take every game in the the most important way, and I hope that we can enjoy and win as many as possible and have all the chances to win.”
