LAFC was defeated by Austin FC 0-1 at their BMO Stadium home on Saturday, March 15, 2025. The poor gameplay by both teams made it difficult to focus my coverage on the play of the Mexican-American players on either side, LAFC’s Mark Delgado and Austin FC’s Brandon Vazquez. I take this opportunity to inform you about each of these exemplary players of our community.

Mark Delgado is a veteran midfielder who entered 2025 in his 14th MLS season, with LAFC being the fourth team he has played for in his career. He is the only player in MLS history to play for all three Los Angeles-based teams, playing for Chivas USA from 2012 to 2014, The Galaxy from 2022 to 2024, and now LAFC.

Before today’s game, Mark Delgado had appeared in 312 regular season MLS game and is one of just ten active players with over 300 regular season appearances in the league entering this season. His 312 matches played places him 9th among active players for most games, and his 23.984 regular season minutes ranks 10th among all active players.

Brandon Vazquez joined Austin FC in January 2025on a four-year contract guaranteed through the end of the 2028 season with an option for 2029. Vazquez was a 2022 MLS Best XI and All-Star selection that same year. He has represented the US at the international level, scoring 4 goals in 11 matches.

Vazquez debuted with Atlanta United in 2017 and won the MLS Cup in 2018 and US Open Cup in 2019 with them. He moved to FC Cincinnati in 2020, helping them win a Supporters Shield in 2023. Cincinnati transferred him to Monterrey of Mexico’s Liga MX where he scored 14 goals in 2024 before joining Austin FC in 2025. I am proud to have had these two players represent the Chicano community on the field!

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