Los Angeles FC forward Carlos Vela has said that he is currently the better player than Zlatan Ibrahimovic without taking the age into regard. Vela has been a revelation for Los Angeles in the past 18 months and in the current campaign, he has already amassed 21 goals from just 20 appearances for the club.
Speaking to ESPN, Vela said that he cannot compare himself with Zlatan, given the latter’s achievements over the years. However, the Mexican added that statistically he is the better player when compared to Zlatan in the MLS, he told ESPN: “Comparing would show a lack of respect towards him, but if we look at the stats and forget age and whatever, I’m better than him right now, that’s the reality. And in terms of the rest, he’s been Zlatan and only [Lionel] Messi and Cristiano [Ronaldo] are better than him; the rest of us aren’t in the same league.”
Zlatan, 37, has been tearing up defences since making the switch to the MLS and he has already amassed 38 goals from 44 appearances. Most recently, the Swede laughed off suggestions that Vela is a better player than himself and he proved the same on the playing field as he bagged a hat-trick during Los Angeles Galaxy’s 3-2 triumph over cross-town rivals Los Angeles FC.
Despite the defeat, Los Angeles remain on course to cement their automatic spot for the semi-final phase of the play-offs, considering they are holding a nine-point advantage over Galaxy at the top of the Western Conference. Elsewhere, Vela’s international career with Mexico may have come to a conclusion, although the attacker has revealed no plans of retirement.
The attacker has not featured for El Tri since last summer’s World Cup and manager Tata Martino has recently revealed that the forward does not hold the ambition of returning to the national fold once more.