Tag Archives: Carlos Vela

FC Dallas’ Jesus Ferreira Named to 2022 MLS All-Star Game

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Jesus Ferreira is getting his all-star moment…

The 21-year-old Colombian professional soccer player, a forward with FC Dallas, is among the 26 players named to the 2022 MLS All-Star Game.

Jesus FerreiraFerrerira will be joined by fellow U.S. men’s national team hopefuls DeAndre Yedlin, Walker Zimmerman, Jordan Morris, Paul Arriola, Aaron Long and Sean Johnson, along with reigning Major League Soccer award winners Valentin Castellanos and Carles Gil.

For the second year in a row, the MLS All-Star Game will feature a battle against Mexican topflight Liga MX, this time at Minnesota United FC‘s Allianz Field on August 10.

FC Dallas striker Ferreira scored four goals for the USMNT in a 5-0 victory over Grenada last month in the CONCACAF Nations League. At 21, he is the first homegrown designated player in FC Dallas history.

The list also includes Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union), Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United FC), Julian Araujo (LA Galaxy), Alexander Callens (New York City FC), Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati), Sebastian Driussi (Austin FC), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Kamal Miller (CF Montréal), Diego Palacios (LAFC), Kai Wagner (Philadelphia Union), Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC), Darlington Nagbe (Columbus Crew), Emanuel Reynoso (Minnesota United FC), Ilie Sanchez (LAFC), Paul Arriola (FC Dallas), Taxiarchis Fountas (D.C. United), Raul Ruidiaz (Seattle Sounders FC) Carlos Vela (LAFC) Javier Hernandez (LA Galaxy), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC).

The Liga MX All-Stars include Julio Furch (Atlas), Andre-Pierre Gignac (Tigres), Jordan Carrillo (Santos Laguna), Heriberto Jurado (Necaxa), Luis Chavez (Pachuca), Angel Mena (Leon), Julian Quinones (Atlas), Aldo Rocha (Atlas), Kevin Alvarez (Pachuca), Diego Barbosa (Atlas), Hugo Nervo (Atlas), William Tesillo (Leon), Oscar Ustari (Pachuca) and Camilo Vargas (Atlas).

The 19,600-seat stadium was previously revealed as the venue for the interleague exhibition last October, along with the news that Minnesota United’s Adrian Heath would be the coach for the MLS All-Star roster.

The 2022 All-Star Game (kickoff scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET) will be broadcast live on ESPN in the United States in English, as well as ESPN throughout Mexico and Latin America in Spanish.

In the first All-Star Game meeting between MLS and Liga MX last August, MLS walked away with a narrow win through penalties at LAFC‘s Banc of California Stadium.

Following a 1-1 draw in regulation time, MLS claimed a 3-2 shootout victory thanks to a penalty-winning goal from then-FC Dallas and current U.S. men’s national team striker Ricardo Pepi.

Since announcing a partnership in 2018, Liga MX and MLS have worked together through not only the All-Star Game but also collaborations like the Campeones Cup and Leagues Cup.

Carlos Vela Remains Major League Soccer’s Highest-Paid Player

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Carlos Vela is a major league money-maker…

The 32-year-old Mexican professional footballer and Los Angeles FC star remains Major League Soccer‘s highest-paid player with a guaranteed compensation of $6.3 million, according to the latest round of salary data published by the MLS Players Association.

Carlos Vela

The latest disclosure included players signed during the summer transfer window.

As such the top four wage earners remained the same, with LA Galaxy‘s Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez checking in at $6m, Inter Miami CF‘s Gonzalo Higuain earning $5.79m, and Toronto FC‘s Alejandro Pozuelo taking in $4.69m.

Atlanta United FC‘s Luiz Araujo was the only recent signing to crack the top 10, with his guaranteed compensation of $3.94m ranking him fifth. Other notable newcomers were Austin FC‘s Sebastian Driussi, whose guaranteed compensation of $2.69m ranked 15th, while the Vancouver Whitecaps‘ Ryan Gauld came in at 26th in the league with guaranteed compensation of 2.03m.

The average guaranteed compensation for the entire player pool is $418,048 — down slightly from the mark of $423,232 recorded last May, but up 1.5% from the September 2019 mark of $411,996.

The median guaranteed compensation is $200,000, down slightly from the May mark of $210,000. But thanks to the new Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiated earlier this year, the latest mark is still up 11.4% from the September 2019 figure of $179,498.

In terms of team payroll based on guaranteed base compensation, there was some movement. The Galaxy moved up from fourth last May to take the top spot with a total guaranteed compensation of $20.32m. The top three were rounded out by Atlanta United ($20.06m) and Toronto FC ($19.27m).

Inter Miami, which had been highest back in May, fell to fourth with a total guaranteed compensation of $17.55m. LAFC was fifth at $15.88m.

The Colorado Rapids, in third place in the Western Conference, had the lowest guaranteed compensation at $9.89m. This was followed by the New York Red Bulls ($9.98m), the Philadelphia Union ($10.57m), the Vancouver Whitecaps ($10.96m) and the San Jose Earthquakes ($11.04m).

The New England Revolution, runaway leaders for the Supporters Shield, had the 20th-highest total guaranteed compensation at $11.68m. FC Cincinnati, set to finish in last place in the league-wide table for the third year running, had the 10th-highest mark at $13.11m.

Cristian Arango In Talks to Join LAFC

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Cristian Arango may soon be heading to Southern California…

The 26-year-old Colombian professional footballer is thisclose to nearing a deal with LAFC, according to ESPN.

Cristian Arango

Official terms haven’t been agreed upon yet, but there’s an expectation that the deal will get done, possibly by the end of the week.

Arango has scored 20 goals in 46 games for the Colombian club Millonarios F.C. over the past two years, where he’s on loan from Benfica.

Assuming the transfer is finalized, Arango is expected to be on the LAFC books using Targeted Allocation Money and would be deployed at striker, mostly playing in between wingers Diego Rossi and Carlos Vela.

The link was first reported by Colombian journalist Diego Rueda.

LAFC has a strong track record of signing Colombian players and quickly inserting them into important roles with the team. Arango would be the fourth Colombian player on the roster, joining three starters, midfielder Eduard Atuesta and center backs Eddie Segura and Jesus Murrillo.

Arango started his career at Envigado in Colombia in 2012 and never appeared for Benfica after the Portuguese club acquired him in 2017.

If the deal is finalized this week, it’s unclear when Arango would be available to join the MLS squad.

Major League Soccer’s Highest-Paid Player: LAFC’s Carlos Vela

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Carlos Vela has the biggest wallet in Major League Soccer…

The 32-year-old Mexican professional footballer, who captains MLS club Los Angeles FC (LAFC), is the league’s highest-paid player with a base guaranteed compensation of $6.3 million, according to salary data published by the MLS Players Association.

Carlos Vela 

Vela edged out Mexican compatriot and cross-town rival Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez of the LA Galaxy for the top spot. While Hernandez had a base salary of $6m compared to Vela’s $4.5m, the LAFC striker won out based on greater guaranteed bonuses, marketing bonuses and agent’s fees which are included in the calculations and annualized over the terms of a player’s contract, including option years.

Inter Miami CF‘s Gonzalo Higuain ($5.79m), Toronto FC‘s Alejandro Pozuelo ($4.69m), Atlanta United FC‘s Josef Martinez ($3.89m) and Toronto’s Jozy Altidore ($3.6m) rounded out the top six earners.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the salary report was the first to take place since September of 2019, with the data current as of the April 15 roster compliance date. The report is also the first since the two sides agreed on a series of Collective Bargaining Agreements with the latest revision taking place in February of this year.

The MLSPA stated that the average base salary for senior roster non-Designated Players has doubled over the last five years, and is currently $398,725. This figure doesn’t include players making the senior minimum ($81,375) or reserve minimum ($63,547) salaries.

The average guaranteed base compensation for the entire player pool is $423,232 up 2.72% from the September 2019 mark of $411,996. The median guaranteed base salary is $210,000. In a sign that the salaries of players at the bottom of the wage scale are improving, the league’s median guaranteed base compensation was $210,000, up 17% from the September 2019 mark of $179,498.

In terms of team payroll based on guaranteed base compensation, Inter Miami‘s is the highest at $17.8m followed by Toronto at $17m. The LA Galaxy ($16.8m), Atlanta United ($16.1m) and FC Cincinnati ($15.5m) completed the top five. The Vancouver Whitecaps had the lowest payroll at $8.7m followed by Austin FC ($9.1m), the Philadelphia Union ($9.3m), Houston Dynamo FC ($9.5m) and the Colorado Rapids ($10.1m).

LAFC’s Diego Rossi Scores Two Goals Against Seattle Sounders to Extend Goal Lead in ‘MLS is Back Tournament’

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Diego Rossi has extended his lead…

The 22-year-old Uruguayan professional footballer scored his competition-leading sixth and seventh goals of the MLS is Back Tournament, as he led his Los Angeles FC team to a 4-1 win overthe Seattle Sounders on Monday night in the round of 16 near Orlando.

Diego Rossi

Latif Blessing added a goal before halftime for LAFC, which avenged a 3-1 loss to Seattle in last year’s Western Conference final. 

Los Angeles’ Brian Rodriguez added his second goal of the tournament to seal the team’s meeting with Orlando City in a quarterfinal on Friday. 

Forward Bradley Wright-Phillips left the game at halftime for Los Angeles due to an apparent injury.

Will Bruin scored his first goal in more than 15 months for the Sounders, who were perhaps fortunate not to lose by more on a night they were outshot 25-11 overall and 8-4 in efforts on target.

With reigning MLS MVP Carlos Vela opting out of the tournament for LAFC, Rossi has picked up the slack to move two goals in front of Toronto FC‘s Ayo Akinola in the tournament Golden Boot race, with TFC already eliminated.

Rossi put LAFC in front from the penalty spot in the 14th minute. Rossi won the opportunity by inducing Xavier Arreaga into a clumsy challenge, and he finished past Stefan Frei‘s dive with a shot inside the right post.

In the 82nd minute, Rossi capitalized on another error from Arreaga error to score a second goal before Rodriguez added his insurance tally in the 89th minute.

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