Gilberto Mora (footballer, born 2008)

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Mora and the second or maternal family name is Zambrano.
Gilberto Mora
Mora with Mexico in 2025
Personal information
Full name Gilberto Rafael Mora Zambrano
Date of birth (2008-10-14) 14 October 2008 (age 17)
Place of birth Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, Mexico
Height 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Position Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Tijuana
Number 19
Youth career
2019–2024 Tijuana
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2024– Tijuana 46 (7)
International career‡
2022–2023 Mexico U15 16 (9)
2023– Mexico U16 3 (1)
2024– Mexico U17 4 (2)
2025– Mexico U20 5 (3)
2025– Mexico 5 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Mexico
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Winner 2025 United States–Canada
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 18 January 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 18 November 2025

Gilberto Rafael Mora Zambrano (born 14 October 2008) is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Liga MX club Tijuana and the Mexico national team.

Early life

Mora was born on 14 October 2008 in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico. He is the son of former footballer Gilberto Mora.[1]

Club career

Mora joined the youth academy of Club Tijuana, and was described as "one of the most outstanding players in the lower divisions of the team".[2] After just a few weeks of training with the first-team, head coach Juan Carlos Osorio included Mora in the squad for the 2024–25 season.[3]

On 19 August 2024, he made his Liga MX debut against Santos Laguna, replacing Efraín Álvarez in the 72nd minute and provided the assist for Jaime Álvarez's goal in Tijuana's 3–1 victory. At 15 years, ten months and five days old, Mora became Tijuana's youngest-ever debutant, the third-youngest player to debut in Liga MX, and the youngest player to provide an assist.[2] On 31 August, Mora scored his first goal in Tijuana's 2–1 win over León, becoming the youngest player to score in the Mexican top flight at 15 years and 320 days old.[4]

On 31 July 2025, Mora scored his first brace in Tijuana's 5–2 Leagues Cup defeat against LA Galaxy. On 16 August, returning to Liga MX, Mora scored in his team's 2–0 victory against Pachuca. On 22 August, Mora scored another brace, this time in a 3–3 draw against Guadalajara.

International career

As a youth international, Mora has played for Mexico's under-15, under-16, and under-17 teams. He made sixteen appearances and scored nine goals while playing for the under-15 side, and captained the under-17 team as a 15-year old.

On 16 January 2025, Mora made his debut with the senior side in an unofficial friendly against SC Internacional a team from Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, making him the youngest player to appear for the national team at 16 years old.[5]

Mora was included in the provisional 60-man list for the 2025 CONCACAF Nations League Finals, and made the 26-man squad for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup. On 28 June, he received a starting berth in the quarter-final match against Saudi Arabia, thereby officially becoming the youngest-ever player to debut for Mexico.[6] In the semi-final, Mora provided his first assist in the 1–0 victory over Honduras.[7] He then started in the final against the United States, where Mexico would win their 10th title. Later that year, he was called up by coach Eduardo Arce to represent Mexico at the FIFA U-20 World Cup held in Chile.[8]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 17 January 2026[9]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Tijuana 2024–25 Liga MX 30 2 — — 30 2
2025–26 Liga MX 16 5 — 3[a] 2 19 7
Career total 46 7 0 0 3 2 49 9
  1. ^ Appearances in Leagues Cup

International

As of match played 18 November 2025[9]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Mexico 2025 5 0
Total 5 0

Honours

Mexico

Individual

Records

  • Youngest player ever to win a senior international tournament[12]
  • Youngest goalscorer in Liga MX history[13]
  • Youngest player to debut for the Mexico national team[6]

References

  1. ^ "¿Quién es Gilberto Mora, hijo de exfutbolista y goleador más joven de la Liga MX?". sopitas.com. 17 September 2024.
  2. ^ a b "¿Quién es Gilberto Mora? Joya de los Xolos de Tijuana". futboltotal.com.mx. 19 August 2024.
  3. ^ "Él es Gilberto Mora, el "niño" de 15 años que debutó con Xolos con todo y una asistencia". 18 August 2024. Archived from the original on 14 October 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  4. ^ "¿Quién es Gilberto Mora, el jugador más joven en anotar en la historia de la Liga MX?". Milenio. 31 August 2024.
  5. ^ "This Wonderkid Could Play in Three World Cups in Nine Months - and He's on Chelsea and Man United's Radar". Football Park. 8 October 2025. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  6. ^ a b "Gilberto Mora, oficialmente el jugador más jóven en debutar con México" (in Spanish). ESPN Deportes. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  7. ^ "Mexico vs Honduras live score, H2H and lineups | Sofascore". 2025-07-02. Retrieved 2025-07-06.
  8. ^ "Convocatoria Oficial de México Sub-20 para el Mundial de Chile". MiSeleccion.mx (in Spanish). 10 September 2025. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  9. ^ a b Gilberto Mora at Soccerway
  10. ^ "United States 1-2 Mexico: Mauricio Pochettino's side beaten in Gold Cup final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  11. ^ https://www.mlssoccer.com/allstar/2025/news/2025-liga-mx-all-star-team-roster
  12. ^ "Who Is Gilberto Mora and Why Can't He Move to Europe Yet?". beIN Sports. 7 July 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  13. ^ "Tijuana forward Gilberto Mora becomes youngest Liga MX scorer ever". Archived from the original on 29 June 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilberto_Mora_(footballer,_born_2008)