When people think of the most popular athlete in the city of Los Angeles, most people might mention LeBron James after transforming the Lakers into a contender again. Or Dodgers’ star Cody Bellinger who took home the NL MVP award in 2019 and helped lead the team to its 7th straight division title before taking an early exit in the playoffs.

That one still hurts to say.

People would be right to think of those two names when asked about who are the most popular athletes that LA has to offer, as they took home first and second respectively. What may come as a surprise to some is the name of the third most popular athlete, Carlos Vela.

The survey conducted by Loyola Marymount University and then published by the Los Angeles Times showed that LeBron took home 46 percent of the vote followed by Bellinger at 10.7 percent and Vela at 8.3 percent.

The star LAFC forward has been around MLS for some time now and has accomplished a lot in his career. He’s only played for LAFC for two seasons but they’ve been an impressive two years that have left his mark on the city. Just look at his 2019 season in which he scored a record 34 goals followed by 15 assists that led LAFC to Supporter’s Shield Title. Anything the man touches is a goal.

King James still rules the city of LA due to him being one of the most iconic athletes in sports today and no doubt Bellinger is a force to be reckoned with, but Carlos Vela has taken LA by storm since his arrival. He’s stolen the hearts of many sports fans and seems content to continue doing so while with LAFC.

How do you feel about this ranking? Let us know in the comments below!