LAFC’s Carlos Vela named 2019 Landon Donovan MLS MVP

Honoring a banner season of record-breaking goalscoring and team accolades, Major League Soccer today announced Los Angeles Football Club forward Carlos Vela as the 2019 Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player. Vela was presented the award during a ceremony at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles.

His meteoric rise in 2019 saw him set a number of new individual MLS records, while leading LAFC to several team honors as well.

Media Assets

• Photography: Official photos of Vela with award are available for download here.
• Video: Select clips from the award presentation are available for download here.
• Soundbytes: Congratulatory video messages from friends and celebrities are available for download here.

Winner of the 2019 MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi, Vela’s record-breaking regular season set a new league-high of 34 goals in 31 games, with a 1.10 goals-per-game average that ranks No. 1 all-time in MLS history among players with at least 15 goals in a single campaign. He reached the 20-goal plateau in 20 games – a rate faster than any other player – and his combined 49 goals and assists (34 goals, 15 assists) established yet another new league milestone.

He becomes the first MLS player of Mexican descent to garner the prestigious award, exceeding the accomplishments of the many famed former Mexican internationals that came before him. Vela now has the highest career goals total by any Mexican player in MLS history.

During the regular season, Vela helped LAFC capture the Supporters’ Shield and top seed in the Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs, as the club set a new all-time points record (72 points), posted the highest-ever goal differential (+48), and tied the single-season team scoring record (85).

Vela’s postseason heroics included two goals and an assist in the conference semifinals for a historic first defeat of the LA Galaxy en route to LAFC’s appearance in the Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs Western Conference Final. With 36 total goals in 2019, Vela’s combined regular-season and postseason tally also set a new all-time league best.

Prior to signing with LAFC in August 2017, the Mexican international featured for Real Sociedad from 2011-17 in Spain’s La Liga, where he amassed 60 goals over a six-year span following time with Arsenal in the English Premier League and Chivas de Guadalajara in LIGA MX.

Internationally, Vela started all six appearances with the Mexican National Team during the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, notching a goal against South Korea in the Group Stage. He was also a member of the MNT squad that competed in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Vela’s astounding 2019 form won him MVP honors by a landslide, earning nearly 70 percent of the total vote. The LA Galaxy’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic was the runner-up, while 2018 Landon Donovan MLS MVP and Golden Boot winner Josef Martinez of Atlanta United finished third, relinquishing both of his crowns to the two-time All-Star captain.

The Landon Donovan MLS MVP award has been presented since 1996 to the individual determined by a poll of players, club technical staff and the media to be the most valuable to his club.