LAFC announced today that forward Carlos Vela was voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Week for the 30th week of the 2019 MLS season. This is Vela’s fifth Player of the Week honor this season, previously winning the award for his performances in the second, fifth, 18th and 25th week of play.
Vela continued his historic season by scoring two goals this week, equaling the all-time MLS single-season goalscoring record of 31, set by Josef Martinez. With 31 goals scored, Vela leads the league in goals and ranks third with 15 assists. He is the only player in MLS history to record 30+ goals and 15 assists in a single season.
LAFC sits atop the league standings with 69 points (20-4-9 overall record) and has already clinched the 2019 Supporters’ Shield, along with a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs.
The Mexico National Team veteran helped LAFC secure the Supporters’ Shield on Wednesday, giving the club a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute when he converted a penalty kick.
Vela then tied Martínez’s goalscoring record with his 31st of the season on Sunday against Minnesota. With the match scoreless well into the second half, Vela gave LAFC a 1-0 lead in the 70th minute when he finished with a left-footed shot from the top of the box. Sunday’s performance was the eighth consecutive match with a goal for Vela, the fourth longest streak in MLS history.
LAFC hosts the Colorado Rapids on Sunday in MLS Decision Day presented by AT&T action (4 p.m. ET, ESPN+). With 69 points, LAFC needs a victory to overtake the 2018 New York Red Bulls (71 points) for the most points in MLS history.
The MLS Player of the Week is selected each week of the regular season through both media and fan voting in a process conducted by MLS Communications. A panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) comprises 75 percent of the vote, while a Twitter fan vote represents the remaining 25 percent of voting. NASR consists of members of print, television, radio and online media.
