European Giants Circle as Gilberto Mora Opens Up About His Ultimate Dream Move
The former youth mentor of Gilberto Mora has disclosed that the player's ultimate aspiration is to join Real Madrid, following his impressive displays for Mexico at the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Mora has recently attracted attention from Real Madrid and Barcelona, as the promising El Tri talent contributed to his nation's progression to the elimination rounds in Chile. Across four tournament matches, Mora has netted three times and provided two assists. Earlier this summer, the 16-year-old's previous youth trainer at Club Tijuana, Ignacio Ruvalcaba, shared insights about his potential future destination.
"He harbors an ambition to represent Real Madrid, though he remains realistic about his goals. He consistently follows football and enjoys watching Real Madrid—undoubtedly envisioning himself in their colors," Ruvalcaba told ESPN Deportes.
"I believe he comes from a very stable family; his father has provided excellent guidance, and hopefully we'll witness his success there. Indeed, he envisions himself competing there eventually—he's passionate about European football, and I believe he possesses the talent for those competitions."
Mora's Agent Confirms Transfer Interest
Mora has scored three goals and recorded one assist for Tijuana during the Liga MX Apertura campaign across eight matches. Operating primarily as an attacking midfielder, Mora has demonstrated flexibility by playing as a striker and wing midfielder.
His representative, Rafaela Pimenta, has already acknowledged transfer speculation surrounding the 16-year-old.
"Absolutely. I'm aware of this, but I cannot elaborate further," Pimenta stated to ESTO. "Gilberto Mora is a versatile player who can perform in any position. I've been working in this field for 30 years and have rarely encountered players of his caliber."
He featured in Mexico's quarterfinal, semifinal and championship victories during the Concacaf Gold Cup this summer. Through this achievement, Mora established himself as the youngest player in football history to capture a senior international championship.
Additional clubs reportedly monitoring Mora include Premier League teams Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United.
When Can Gilberto Mora Transfer to Europe?
Any team pursuing Mora must wait until Oct. 14, 2026 when he reaches 18 years of age, according to FIFA regulations.
"Gilberto possesses the capability to become the symbol of Mexican football for the next two decades," Pimenta informed AS. "He's extremely young, my duty is to safeguard him and provide him space. He has innate ability, maintains strong work ethic, shows discipline and demonstrates genuine love for football."
His possible involvement in the forthcoming 2026 World Cup offers another chance to demonstrate his abilities on the global stage and enhance his transfer value.