Football Executive | Strategic Leader in Mexican Football
Carlos Vela is a seasoned football executive with over a decade of leadership experience across top-tier Mexican clubs, including CF Monterrey and Mazatlán FC. With a profile that blends analytical expertise, sporting vision, and operational precision, he has built a reputation as one of the most effective behind-the-scenes professionals in Liga MX. His career has spanned youth development, senior team operations, international scouting, and high-level negotiations, consistently contributing to competitive success and long-term institutional growth.
After beginning his front-office career in 2011 as Administrative Manager of Youth Teams at CF Monterrey, Vela steadily climbed the football executive ladder. His early work focused on budget execution, youth contract negotiations, facility operations, and the human development of academy players. He quickly became a key figure in Monterrey’s infrastructure, working closely with coaches and players at the youth level.
By 2014, Vela took on a more analytical role as Scouting and Analytics Manager, designing data-driven scouting strategies and recruitment for senior team players. Also, his expertise in opponent analysis and modern training methodologies added depth to Monterrey’s technical staff.
Between 2016 and 2023, he served as First Team Soccer Director at CF Monterrey, overseeing daily senior team operations, fitness and nutrition protocols, and maintaining a close working relationship with head coaches. As a member of the decision-making committee for player signings and staff appointments, Vela played a central role in one of the most successful periods in club history. During this time, Monterrey won multiple major titles, including the Liga MX (2019), two CONCACAF Champions League titles (2019 and 2021), and finished third at the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup.
In 2023, Vela was appointed Sporting Director at Mazatlán FC, where he led the club to its highest-ever point total in a single season (Apertura 2023) and oversaw a record-breaking year in player sales in 2024. His work at Mazatlán reflected a commitment to sustainable team building, institutional alignment, and competitive ambition. He ensured the club’s sporting project—from academy to first team—was structurally sound, strategically aligned, and operationally efficient.
Beyond his club roles, Vela is also passionate about education and professional development. He currently teaches at the Johan Cruyff Institute Mexico, delivering the Soccer Project Development module. Academically, he holds multiple master’s degrees including a Master in High Management Affairs from IPADE Business School, an International Master in Sport Management from the Johan Cruyff Institute, and a Master in Management from ITESM. He also holds a PRO Coaching License from the Federación Mexicana de Futbol.
Carlos Vela’s journey from professional footballer to respected executive reflects a deep understanding of the game from all angles. With a foundation built on discipline, vision, and integrity, he continues to shape Mexican football through a combination of innovation, strategic planning, and a deep respect for the sporting culture.
Our Exclusive Interview with Carlos Vela
Who is Carlos Vela outside of football and what personal values guide your work?
Outside of football, I am a very easy-going person who enjoys spending most of my free time with my family. It is funny, because I have 3 sons who also love football, so one of our main hobbies as a family, is actually, watching more football games. I consider myself a lifelong learner, so I also enjoy reading good books or watching some real-life movies.
Regarding the values that guide my work, I can say that integrity, discipline and long-term vision are my pillars. I believe in leading with empathy while making data-informed decisions to achieve sustainable success.
What philosophies shape your approach to building sustainable football projects from youth academies to first teams?
I believe in a holistic, long-term approach that aligns sporting identity across all levels. Development starts with values, education and performance culture. My strategy integrates high-performance structures with highly committed professionals, multidisciplinary support, and clearly defined pathways from youth teams to the first team. A unified game model and institutional consistency are essential too.
How do you balance long-term institutional goals with the immediate demands of match performance and results?
Perhaps, this is one of the hardest tensions to manage in football leadership, however they can be balanced when there is a coherent framework in place and by building robust structures that support both timelines.
The main job of any Sporting Director is to focus on aligning short-term decisions – such as player recruitment or coaching staff – with the club´s long term identity and strategy. It is important that every single decision is made within the long-term context of the club´s vision and economic possibilities. It is easy to be reactive in football, but great institutions resist volatility by having some guidelines. In my case, I always define key metrics, which give light and help for decision-making at any moment.
Which mentor or experience has had the greatest impact on your development as a football executive?
My transition from being a professional player to executive at CF Monterrey was a turning point in my career. I was fortunate to be mentored by leaders who didn´t just teach me about football operations; they showed me how to think strategically, how to build trust, and how to see the whole field from an organizational perspective. Working alongside experienced professionals and fostering a great teamwork environment during those Monterrey´s title-winning years deeply shaped my management style and strategic thinking.
What kinds of books, topics or activities do you pursue in your free time to stay inspired and informed?
I do read a lot. Generally, I choose books that talk about leadership, high performance psychology, or sports analytics. I have just ended a very interesting book from George Mumford, called “The mindful athlete”. I also stay active in academic settings – currently teaching at the Johan Cruyff Institute – which constantly challenges me to stay updated, refining and rethinking my ideas. And finally, I think that having conversations with colleagues and attending conferences is always a “must” in our job.
What does a typical season-day look like for you when overseeing both sporting and operational aspects of a club?
My days start early – usually with department updates from medical, performance, and operations. Before the training session, I regularly have a coffee or quick breakfast with the first team coach and his staff. I try to see every single training session of the first team. Afterwards, the morning passes reviewing analytics, scouting reports or data regarding the training session. Midday is often spent with coaches of the academy and multidisciplinary teams, ensuring alignment on game models, squad dynamics or upcoming match preparation. The afternoons are typically about balancing the strategic with the immediate: contract renewals, market intelligence, reviewing KPI´s.
But beyond the tasks, a season-day is about presence. Being on the ground. Talking to players, listening to staff, supporting coaches. The most important part of my job is understanding the mood, the culture, the energy. That´s in my opinion, where real leadership happens.
How do you integrate data-driven scouting with traditional talent identification to shape your recruitment strategy?
I see data and human insight as complementary forces. At the core, recruitment is about reducing uncertainty. We use analytics for filtering and validating prospects, focusing in KPIs aligned with our game model. From there, traditional scouts must do personal observation and give their feedback regarding not only about all the sporting details, but also evaluating body language, and mentality during the games. It is important to also consider background checks and of course, meet the player, understand how he thinks and how he may fit into the group dynamic. Definitively, this kind of disciplined, hybrid model between data and traditional talent identification has proven to be effective and sustainable.
What are your next ambitions in football management, and where do you see your career heading over the next five years?
At this stage of my journey, I am drawn to the kind of scenario that forces growth – the kind that comes with leaving your comfort zone to build something meaningful in a new environment, culture, structure, or country. I´ve always like to challenge myself and be part of a project that stretches my understanding of football management and leadership. Regarding the future, I believe football still has the power to connect and inspire people. That´s the space I want to inhabit. Hopefully, I´ll be leading a project where I can trascend not only in a sporting sense, but also through meaningful work that leaves a mark beyond the pitch.