Mexican Striker Carlos Vela, Beats Out Messi For ‘Best Striker’ Award!

Mexican striker and former El Tri star, Carlos Vela, has beaten out Lionel Messi for an award. Surprisingly, the 25-year old Cancun native has been nominated for the “Best Striker” award for the 2013-2014 Spanish Liga de Futbol Profesional Awards to be held on October 27^th.

In addition to Vela, Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, and Atletico Madrid’s Diego Costa, were also nominated alongside Vela, and shockingly, FC Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, was left off the nomination list. What makes Vela’s nomination all the more surprising was that he scored 16 goals in 37 games last season compared to Messi’s 28 goals in an injury shortened 31 games. Nonetheless, Vela will be on the podium alongside soccer’s best in ten days time.

“Vela’s prodigious pace and electricity make him one of the most dangerous strikers in Spanish football,” read a statement by the LFP association.

Vela’s nomination over Messi should show just how highly the Mexican soccer player is regarded in Spain and might also be just enough to get him back on Miguel Herrera’s Mexican National team. Vela left the team in 2011 and declined to rejoin before the World Cup because he was unhappy with the atmosphere around El Tri, also at that time, it was looking more likely that Mexico would not qualify for the World Cup.

Miguel Herrera has told the media and Mexico’s national director, Hector Gonzalez Inarritu, that he would like Vela to get another chance with the team and is interested in calling him up. According to reports, Vela is open to the idea and has spoken with Giovani dos Santos and Andres Guardado about the change in philosophy and in the locker room under Herrera.

Vela has struggled thus far in La Liga this season and has had to deal with nagging injuries throughout the year. The former Arsenal star, now plays for Real Sociedad and if he chooses to accept Herrera’s offer to rejoin the team, he could suit up for El Tri as soon as next month in their highly touted rematch against the Netherlands.