Gilberto Mora, the young Mexican football sensation, is drawing significant attention from European giants Real Madrid and Barcelona, with recent developments highlighting his potential and preference.
Mora has been a standout performer at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup, where his skills and performances have reportedly attracted interest from both Barcelona and Real Madrid, alongside Premier League clubs like Arsenal, Manchester City, and Manchester United.
The 16-year-old attacking midfielder from Club Tijuana has already made impressive strides at the club level, holding records as the youngest goalscorer and youngest player for Tijuana, as well as making key contributions in Liga MX.
Barcelona has had a long-standing interest in Mora, including
inviting him to train at La Masia to immerse himself in their culture. Their scouting presence was also confirmed with the club's officials attending the U-20 World Cup to monitor his progress, describing him as a skilled midfielder with strong potential, though recognizing that he is still young and developing.
Real Madrid, however, appears to be Mora's preferred destination. Ignacio Ruvalcaba, head of the youth academy at Tijuana, said, "Gil Mora has a dream, which is to play for Real Madrid, but he has his feet on the ground. He always watches football and loves to watch Real Madrid, surely he sees himself playing there. I think he has a very focused family; his father has handled him very well and hopefully, we can see him there succeeding. He does see himself playing there in the future, he loves watching European football, and I think he has the quality to be in those leagues".
Who are leading the Race for Gilberto Mora?
The youngster's social media activity also suggests a leaning towards Real Madrid, as he has liked posts of Real Madrid players like Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr., and Kylian Mbappe on Instagram, especially following Real's recent victory in the El Clásico against Barcelona. Tijuana is reportedly valuing Mora at $20 million (€17.2 million) for 50% of his rights, with a transfer to Europe not possible before January 2027 due to age restrictions.
