Rafael Márquez has a plan for Gilberto Mora: follow Lamine Yamal's path | OneFootball

Rafael Márquez wants Gilberto Mora to follow a path similar to the one he closely witnessed in Barcelona with Lamine Yamal: patience, protection, and gradual development so the young Mexican prospect can establish himself among the elite.

Gilberto Mora has become one of Mexican soccer’s biggest bets. At just 17 years old, the Xolos de Tijuana player has already left his mark on the Mexican National Team and is beginning to attract interest from major clubs in Europe.

Within El Tri, he also has special backing. Rafael Márquez knows firsthand what it means to work with young talents and intends to guide the attacking midfielder through a stage in which media exposure could grow considerably.

Márquez wants to protect Mora’s development

The Mexico National Team coach pointed to the process he experienced with Lamine Yamal during his time at Barcelona as an example. For Márquez, the key is to prevent the noise surrounding the player from affecting his development.

“Gil has a very good foundation of values. I think he has a great family; his father was a footballer and has guided him very well, so I’m not worried about everything that’s being said or all the praise Gil has been receiving, or that he might start believing in things he still hasn’t achieved. We ourselves have to protect him,” he explained.

The coach believes Mora has the right family environment to handle the attention he has started to receive and wants the youngster to stay calm as he continues to grow.

“I have good experience in how to handle it from the case of Lamine (Yamal) at Barcelona. It’s about staying calm and letting him develop,” he added.

Gilberto Mora has already left his mark on El Tri

Márquez’s confidence is also explained by the impact Mora has had from his very first steps with the senior national team.

The young footballer scored the first goal for the Mexican National Team during Márquez’s time as coach, with a standout strike against Colombia. He has also already made history by becoming the youngest Mexican to play in a World Cup, at just 17 years old.

His rise has been meteoric, but the Mexican coaching staff understands that there is still a long road ahead before he can become an established figure in international soccer.

From Xolos to a possible move to Europe

Mora was born on October 14, 2008, in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, and made his First Division debut with Xolos de Tijuana when he was just 15 years and 10 months old.

On October 14, he will turn 18, a moment that could mark a new stage in his career. From then on, the conditions for a possible international transfer will be different, and the chances of him making the move to European soccer will increase.

His name has already been linked with some of the biggest clubs on the continent, while Barcelona and Real Madrid have appeared among the teams monitoring his progress.

For now, however, Márquez’s priority is different: that Gilberto Mora continues to grow without the expectations surrounding him speeding up a process that still needs time.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.