Who is the Mexican gem already catching Europe’s eye? Find out | OneFootball

At 17, Gilberto Mora has already achieved feats usually associated with far more experienced players. Against Colombia, he scored a stunning goal in the 62nd minute to secure a 1-1 draw in the Mexican national team’s debut under Rafael Márquez. The performance further highlighted the rise of the young Club Tijuana midfielder.

Mora received the ball in the box, dribbled past Jhon Lucumí and finished with his right foot to score his first goal for the Mexican national team. At 17 years and 11 months old, he became the youngest player ever to score for Mexico, surpassing Manuel Rosas’ record from 1930.

Five goals in just 499 minutes in the 2026 Apertura

If his performance against Colombia drew international attention, what Gilberto Mora is doing at Club Tijuana helps explain why. In the 2026 Apertura, the midfielder has scored five goals in seven matches in just 499 minutes, according to the tournament’s available data.

For a player at the start of his career, the numbers are impressive. Gilberto Mora has a 90% pass completion rate, 88% in the final third, 1.0 successful dribble and 3.7 duels won per match, along with a 60% success rate in ground duels, according to Sofascore.

These are indicators that help explain his profile: an attacking midfielder who contributes to build-up play, has the ability to speed up moves and, above all, does not seem intimidated by the responsibility of receiving the ball in decisive areas.

From Tijuana to the world

Gilberto Mora had already gone beyond the status of a Mexican prospect before the clash with Colombia. At the 2026 World Cup, he became the youngest player in the tournament and took part in Mexico’s campaign, including the win over Ecuador in the knockout stage.

Now, the trend is for the European market to increase the pressure on Tijuana. Liverpool, for example, reportedly showed interest during the World Cup, and the English club’s own media acknowledged that the Mexican was one of the young talents most closely watched in the tournament.

Agent Rafaela Pimenta, who manages the player’s career, had previously revealed that European clubs had made concrete approaches for the midfielder. Gilberto Mora recently renewed his contract with Tijuana until 2029.

And could Brazil become part of the story?

That is precisely where the scenario becomes even more interesting. While the European race is expected to intensify, Palmeiras and Flamengo also have the financial strength to monitor a player of this level and, potentially, enter the race for the Mexican.

It would not be a simple move, especially because Gilberto Mora is already seen as one of the biggest young assets in Mexican football. But Brazilian football has shown an ability to attract South American talent and to serve as a competitive bridge before a possible move to Europe.

At 17, Gilberto Mora is already a starter for Tijuana, wears Mexico’s No. 10 shirt and has broken a 96-year-old record. The youngster still has room to develop and is already emerging as a name capable of defining a generation.

*André Freixo, special correspondent for the RTI Esporte Agency, reporting directly from Portugal

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