Gilberto Mora has emerged as one of the breakout stars of the 2026 World Cup, with the 17-year-old Mexico star said to be attracting interest from Liverpool and a host of other elite clubs
00:09, 09 Jul 2026
Gilberto Mora (Mexico) during Round of 16 FIFA World Cup 2026, Mexico and England, Azteca Stadium, Mexico, Mexico on July 05 2026. (Photo by Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Gilberto Mora has been linked with a move to Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)
The World Cup has provided the perfect platform for some of best young talents around to further their reputations - and attract the attention of some elite clubs in the process.
While the usual suspects of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland have grabbed a lot of the headlines, there have been some breakout stars who look set to make the next big step in their careers. A lot of the attention from Liverpool fans will have been on Yan Diomande amid the Reds’ pursuit of the 19-year-old winger, while Ayyoub Bouaddi has also caught the eye as Morocco one again impresses.
And there’s another youngster reportedly piquing Liverpool’s interest, with Gilberto Mora being touted for a move to Anfield.
England fans will be familiar with the 17-year-old, who started for Mexico in the last-16 tie earlier this week as the Three Lions won a classic at the Azteca Stadium.
Mora has been attracting plenty of attention, and now Liverpool is said to be in the running for his signature. Mexican outlet El Universal claims that the Reds have approached his current side Club Tijuana to find out more about his contract status.
Liverpool has also been linked with Mora a little closer to home, with the Daily Mail claiming that the Anfield club is “aware of the player’s abilities”, with Real Madrid, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and West Ham also interested, while Arsenal has been touted elsewhere.
Who is Gilberto Mora?
Big things have been expected of Mora for a while now. After joining Tijuana in 2019, he was promoted to the first-team in 2024 and went on to make his senior debut at the age of 15 years, 10 months and five days, making him the youngest player in the club’s history, and the third-youngest in the Liga MX.
Mora marked his debut with an assist in a 3-1 win over Santos Laguna, and less than two weeks later, he had his first goal for the club after scoring in a 2-1 victory over Leon. That saw him become the youngest ever player to score in Mexico’s top flight.
Gilberto Mora of Mexico
Gilberto Mora was a breakout star at the World Cup(Image: Manuel Velasquez - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
It didn’t take long for him to earn a call-up for his country, having also turned out for Mexico’s U15s, U16s and U17s. He made his senior debut in January 2025 in an unofficial friendly against Brazilian club side Internacional - the team where Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker began his career.
Mora would go on to earn a spot in Mexico’s squad for the CONCACAF Gold Cup later that year. Having been left on the bench during the opening stages of the tournament, he would go on to start in the quarter-final, semi-final and final as Mexico was crowned champion, with the youngster bagging an assist against Honduras in the last-four.
That success saw Mora become the youngest ever player to win an international trophy, and he would earn a call-up to Mexico’s squad for the U20 World Cup later that same year.
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His rise continued as he earned a spot in the senior squad for this year’s World Cup, where he played in all but one game as Mexico fell at the last-16 to England.
In total, he has made 12 appearances already for his country before turning 18, while he has made 53 appearances for Tijuana, scoring 10 goals in the process.
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Mora is represented by Rafaela Pimenta, the same agent as former Liverpool boss Arne Slot, and no doubt she will be fielding plenty of calls from interested clubs this summer. A move to Europe may not be on the cards just yet though, with FIFA rules preventing Mora from moving abroad until he turns 18 in October.
Whether Liverpool will be among those who targets a move for him remains to be seen. The Reds have already taken steps to sign fellow 17-year-old Samuel Martinez from Colombian club Atletico Nacional, perhaps suggesting a change in transfer approach from the club, and no doubt Mora would be a very attractive prospect.