Mexican star Vela will not be included in World Cup squad

The Mexican football federation announced Monday that El Tri will be without one its best players at the 2014 World Cup, as Real Sociedad attacker Carlos Vela will not be a part of the team taking part in the competition.

Unlike similar announcements from other countries, this was not injury-induced, nor was it a matter of the player being beat out by better options.

No, this was entirely his own doing.

Vela, 24, has not featured for the national team since March of 2011, and that same noncommittal attitude has led to the decision to leave him off the plane for this summer's trip to Brazil.

Via Sports Illustrated:

Mexico manager Miguel Herrera and top FEMEXFUT officials Héctor González Iñárritu and Ricardo Peláez traveled to Madrid – where Real Sociedad was playing at Atletico Madrid — to meet with Vela and gather his thoughts. With him remaining unable to commit 100 percent emotionally and mentally to the cause, according to the announcement, his World Cup ship has sailed.

Vela’s saga has dragged on for years. He refused to play in the Olympics in 2012 for Mexico, citing his need to focus on cementing his club place (he had been in club limbo for years, signing with Arsenal but consistently going out on loan and not maintaining steady footing) at Sociedad.

Vela has continuously turned down call-ups to the national team in recent years. Even as the Mexicans struggled through CONCACAF qualifying, narrowly booking a place in this summer's tournament, the versatile attacker decided against representing his country.

Now he's paying for it - although, he probably isn't overly concerned by this announcement.