Gilberto Mora emerged as one of the brightest revelations from Mexico’s Gold Cup-winning campaign.
At just 16 years old, the young midfielder shattered a record previously held by legends like Pelé and Lamine Yamal, becoming the youngest player ever to win a major international tournament. His standout performances have already sparked talk of a move to Europe - though FIFA regulations will keep him grounded until he turns 18.
“I saw something special in Gilberto”
One of the most respected voices to weigh in on Mora’s rise is Juan Carlos Osorio, former head coach of Club Tijuana and the man credited with discovering the teenage sensation. Osorio recalled that it was after Xolos’ early exit from last year’s Leagues Cup that he and his staff began paying closer attention to the club’s youth ranks.
“In those matches, I saw something special in Gilberto - a natural talent,” Osorio said. “He was still a kid, still physically developing, but what stood out were his turning controls. In one fluid motion, he could spin and control the ball. That’s rare.”
Those qualities remind Osorio of none other than Andrés Iniesta, the legendary Barcelona midfielder.
“In today’s high-level soccer, players average around 700 full turns per match,” Osorio explained. “Gilberto’s movement was so reminiscent of Iniesta that we decided to use him the way [Pep] Guardiola often did [as Barça head coach] - as an inside-out false winger.”
LaLiga “a perfect fit” for Mora
Despite the buzz, Mora’s path to Europe is complicated by FIFA’s strict rules on international transfers involving minors. Exceptions are rare and typically limited to humanitarian cases, such as players fleeing conflict zones.
Still, if Mora continues on his current trajectory, a move to a top European league seems inevitable. According to Osorio, Spain’s LaLiga would be the ideal destination: “It’s a league that values technical skill over physicality - a perfect fit for Gilberto.”