Recently qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the Mexican National soccer team needed to utilize every ounce of talent they possessed in what became an unexpectedly difficult qualifying phase. Unable to clinch a place at the 32-team event during the CONCACAF Hexagonal qualifying stage, El Tri was forced to enter a playoff against New Zealand that would ultimately determine who would earn one of the final spots. Thanks to a rejuvenated spirit and an added level of cohesiveness, new coach Miguel Herrera and his squad were able to dispose of the All Whites in convincing fashion while earning the country's sixth-consecutive tournament berth.
Mexico will now have just over seven months to make its final preparations for what should pan out to be a phenomenal event. Bringing in talent from his Liga MX team Club America, Miguel Herrera used familiarity to help the national team advance to Brazil and with the club hoping to get better heading into the World Cup, recent news indicates that El Tri could once again bring in a familiar face. According to ESPN, Villareal and Mexico forward Giovani dos Santos would like to see Carlos Vela rejoin the national team ahead of the Brazil tournament. Vela - who fulfills his club duties with Real Sociedad of the Spanish Primera Division - has not played with his native team since 2011 due to his banishment from the club.
Building a sour relationship with former El Tri boss Chepo de la Torre, the 24-year-old Vela was relieved of his national duties after he threw a party while the team was fulfilling its international requirements. Dos Santos was also involved in the incident but with a changing of the guard and ill feelings put aside, the Villareal star said it would be great to have an old friend back on the squad. "It is a difficult subject, which is between Vela and the federation," dos Santos said. "I do not know his motives. What I do know is that he is a great player who could bring many things to the national team."
Vela, who recently notched four goals in La Real's 4-3 win over Celta Vigo, said back in September that he has never completely ruled out a return to El Tri and noted that he'd listen to anyone willing to talk to him about coming back before the World Cup begins on June 12, 2014.
"I've never closed the door on returning," Vela said. "I always told Chepo that it wasn't because of problems with anyone, it just wasn't the right time. If they consider it adequate and they call or I call, we'll talk and come to a conclusion though no person is going to come and change the world, or a national team."
Open to the idea of a return for Vela, Miguel Herrera said in the past that Vela has been the one to turn down the option to return. "I see a great opportunity but it is Vela who doesn't want to join us," Herrera said. "I will analyze this and seek him out. We are hopeful he will change his mind. He has had a great past year and a half."
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