LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former Major League Soccer MVP Carlos Vela announced his retirement Tuesday.
The 36-year-old Vela spent the previous seven seasons with Los Angeles FC, which signed the Mexican forward as its first designated player in 2017 before the expansion club had played a game.
Vela became LAFC's leader in goals (78), assists (59) and games played (152) in a career highlighted by his MVP season in 2019, during which he set an MLS record with 34 goals. LAFC won the MLS Cup in 2022 and earned Supporters' Shield trophies in 2019 and 2022 during Vela's tenure.
“Helping to build LAFC and winning trophies for the club is a highlight of my career,” Vela said in a statement. “This club means so much to me and my family, and I am proud of everything we have accomplished together with the great fans of Los Angeles. I am excited to begin this next chapter in my journey here in LA.”
Vela's contract with LAFC ran out after the 2023 season, and he remained unsigned until last September, when he rejoined the club for the playoff stretch. But Vela played only four minutes as a substitute in one playoff game, and LAFC did not re-sign him for the current season.
Vela and his family live in Los Angeles, and the club named him its first Black & Gold Ambassador while announcing his retirement.
In his new role, Vela will “help us grow the LAFC brand, strengthen our connection with supporters, and continue to inspire the next generation of players,” general manager John Thorrington said.
A Cancún native, Vela began his youth career with Chivas before moving to Arsenal as a 16-year-old prospect in 2005. He spent much of his Arsenal tenure on loan to several Spanish clubs before landing at Real Sociedad, where he played for six years before joining LAFC.
Vela was one of MLS' best players for his first several seasons with LAFC, earning four All-Star selections and three spots in the MLS Best XI. He was the fastest player in MLS history to compile 75 goals and 50 assists in his career, and he is the top Mexican goal-scorer in league history.
“From the beginning, Carlos has been more than just a player — he has been the heartbeat, the captain and the face of LAFC,” Thorrington said. “Carlos arrived in Los Angeles with a shared vision of building something truly special, and he delivered on that promise in every way. From unforgettable goals to historic victories, Carlos helped make LAFC what it is today."
Vela played for Mexico at the World Cup in 2010 and 2018, but he also feuded with El Tri's management at times, leading to long stretches away from the national team. Vela declared himself retired from international football in 2020.
LAFC will honor the forward on Noche de Carlos Vela, to be held Sept. 21 at BMO Stadium during a match against Real Salt Lake.
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FILE - Los Angeles FC forward Carlos Vela chases the ball during the second half of an MLS soccer match against the Real Salt Lake on Oct. 1, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia’s parliament on Friday appointed right-wing populist politician Janez Jansa as the new prime minister, in a shift for the small European Union country that was previously run by a liberal government.
Lawmakers backed Jansa in a 51-36 vote in the 90-member assembly. The new prime minister will need to come back to Parliament within the next 15 days for another vote to confirm his future Cabinet.
Jansa's appointment concludes a postelection stalemate in Slovenia after a parliamentary ballot two months ago ended practically in a tie. Former liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob's Freedom Movement won by a thin margin but he was unable to muster a parliamentary majority.
Jansa and his populist Slovenian Democratic Party signed a coalition agreement this week with several right-wing groups. The new government also has the backing of a nonestablishment Truth party that first emerged as an anti-vaccination movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new term in office will be the fourth for the veteran Slovenian politician. Jansa, 67, is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump and was a close ally of former populist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was defeated in a landslide election last month.
Jansa in a speech listed the economy, fight against corruption and red tape, and decentralization as key goals of the future government. He has promised to lower taxes for the rich and support private education and healthcare.
Critical of the previous government's alleged “inefficiency," Jansa said the new government will turn Slovenia into “a country of opportunity, prosperity and justice, where each responsible citizen will feel safe and accepted."
Like Orban, Jansa was staunchly anti-immigrant during the huge migration wave to Europe in 2015. Also like Orban, Jansa has faced accusations of clamping down on democratic institutions and press freedoms during a previous term in 2020-2022. This led to protests at the time, and scrutiny from the European Union.
Golob in his speech described Jansa as “the greatest threat to Slovenia’s sovereignty and democracy."
Alleging that Jansa had threatened to arrest him, Golob said Jansa's "idea of democracy is that anyone who dares speak a word against you deserves only the worst.”
Jansa, a supporter of Israel, also has been a stern critic of the Golob government's 2024 recognition of a Palestinian state.
The vote on March 22 was marred by allegations of foreign influence and corruption. The around 2 million people in the Alpine nation are deeply divided between liberals and conservatives.
Janez Jansa, center, addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)
Janez Jansa arrives for a session of the Slovenian Parliament in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)
Janez Jansa addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)
