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2022 World Cup Qualifiers: Why was Carlos Vela not called up by Mexico?

Mexico head into the Final Round of the Concacaf World Cup Qualification for Qatar 2022 aiming to bounce back after their 2021 Gold Cup loss in August. LAFC star Carlos Vela, however, was once again left out of the national team.

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By martín o’donnell

Carlos Vela in action for Mexico during the 2018 Russia World Cup. (Getty)
Carlos Vela in action for Mexico during the 2018 Russia World Cup. (Getty)

The Final Round of the Concacaf World Cup Qualification for Qatar 2022 will finally begin and Mexico want to start their campaign on the right foot. Coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino knows he is under pressure and decided to make many changes. Carlos Vela, however, wasn’t called up thistime either.

The Los Angeles Football Club star has been one of the best MLS playersever since hearrived inthe league but remained out of the national teamanyway. Just like Chicharito Hernandez , he is one of the big-name players that got used to missinginternational meetings.

Vela, who is one of the highest-paid players in the Major League Soccer, keeps playing a key role in LAFC although the team’s not going through a good moment. But that hasn’t been getting him minutes with Mexico.

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Why is Carlos Vela not playing for Mexico in the WC Qualifiers?

Tata Martino has decided to facethe beginning of The Octoby selecting new players and leave out many renowned names. But it should be no surprise that Carlos Vela isn’t part of the team – again.

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Carlos Vela has not played for Mexico since the 2018 Russia World Cup and therefore, has never played under Martino so far. The former Barcelona coach explained that he held a conversation with the striker when he took the reins of El Tri where Vela told him he wanted to prioritize his familyand club.

So, that’s pretty much why the LAFC forward has not been called up this time or any of the previous international breaks by Martino. Besides, he was still recovering from a quad injury.

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