The gifted teenager is attracting attention from Europe's elite after a stunning start to his career
"He’s got bags of talent and he’s Mexican, so we can consider ourselves very lucky," Mexico boss Javier Aguirre said in July after watching 16-year-old sensation Gilberto Mora set up the winning goal for Raul Jimenez in El Tri's Concacaf Gold Cup semi-final clash with Honduras. "The sky's the limit for him."
That last statement may well be true, especially when you consider that only a year ago, Mora was still waiting for his first taste of senior football. His rapid rise from the Club Tijuana Under-19s to the club's first team, and subsequently Mexico's starting XI has been nothing short of extraordinary.
Naturally, it hasn't gone unnoticed in Europe. Barcelona reportedly offered Mora a trial last September, while Manchester City have sent scouts to watch him in Liga MX action. As confirmed by his agent, Real Madrid are also now keeping a close eye on the teenager's progress with a view to tying him to a pre-contract agreement that allows him to head to Spain after he turns 18.
Whoever wins the race for Mora's signature will be getting a potential generational talent. He is certainly the most exciting prospect Mexico have produced for a long time, and Aguirre's words of praise sum up the feelings of fans across the country. It often feels premature to place so much expectation on the shoulders of young players, but the hype around Mora is totally justified, and GOAL has taken a deep dive into his development below...