Arsenal, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona are among the elite clubs tracking Mexico’s next big thing, Gilberto Mora, TEAMtalk can reveal.
In the sun-baked stadiums of Liga MX, a new star is rising, casting a shadow over the established order of world football. Gilberto Rafael Mora Zambrano, the 16-year-old attacking midfielder for Club Tijuana, has ignited a bidding war that transcends borders.
Born on October 14, 2008, in the southern city of Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mora is the son of former Mexican professional Gilberto Mora Olayo, inheriting not just talent but a lineage steeped in the beautiful game. Mora’s ascent has been meteoric.
Debuting for Tijuana’s senior side on August 19, 2024, against Santos Laguna at just 15 years and 10 months old, he became the club’s youngest-ever player and the third-youngest in Liga MX history.
Subbed on in the 72nd minute, he wasted no time, assisting Jaime Alvarez’s goal in a 3-1 triumph. Days later, on August 31, he etched his name deeper into the record books, scoring against Leon to claim the distinction of Liga MX’s youngest goalscorer at 15 years and 320 days.
This season, the 5ft 6in dynamo has notched three goals and an assist in eight appearances, his right-footed wizardry — marked by nutmegs, drag-backs, and audacious spins — leaving defenders in his wake.
What sets Mora apart is his free-spirited flair, a blend of silky dribbling and intelligent passing that evokes memories of Mexico’s golden generation.
His breakthrough extended to the international stage, where he starred in Mexico’s Gold Cup triumph last summer, surpassing even Lamine Yamal’s precocious feats by becoming the tournament’s youngest standout.
Tijuana’s academy director, Ignacio Ruvalcaba, has hailed him as a future European export, predicting a World Cup cameo in 2026 before a transatlantic leap. “Surely he will be competing in Europe,” Ruvalcaba told Record, urging one more Liga MX season to hone his edge.
Now, the elite are circling. Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona, perennial talent vacuums, have dispatched scouts to Tijuana’s Estadio Caliente, drawn by Mora’s vision and composure beyond his years.
Their interest aligns with a broader LaLiga appetite for gems from the Americas, but FIFA’s stringent rules — barring international moves for under-18s unless family relocates for non-football reasons — keep him grounded for now.
Undeterred, Premier League heavyweights like Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City are monitoring closely, sources reveal, viewing him as a midfield maestro in the mold of Pedri or Kevin De Bruyne.
Whispers from Tijuana suggest a blockbuster transfer next summer is inevitable, with his €6.2million (£5.4m) market value likely to balloon.
For Mexico, burdened by a dearth of world-class exports, Mora represents redemption — a beacon for a nation hungry for glory. As he dazzles in the Apertura, the question isn’t if he’ll conquer Europe, but which powerhouse will claim the next El Tri icon.
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