Gilberto Mora is the most promising soccer player in all of Mexican soccer. The Xolos de Tijuana player has a long career in the Mexican first division despite not being of legal age. Juan Carlos Osorio was the first to give him a chance on the first team. The Colombian strategist managed Xolos de Tijuana from May 2024 to March 2025. Juan Carlos Osorio had Gilberto Mora in the club's youth academy. In an interview over a year ago, the South American coach revealed how he made the decision to give the young talent from "La Frontera" a chance. "For the first time, we're going to bring the U-23 team to train. Make the best possible team from the U-17, U-19, and U-23 squads and include Gilberto. We used to play something called 'positional football,' which Manchester City plays with Guardiola and other clubs. A grid of squares where they have to be positioned. If you show me you're capable of playing there, you'll have your opportunity, and he showed it, so I had no doubt," Osorio said, referring to Mora. Inspired, once again, by Pep Guardiola, Juan Carlos Osorio tried to give Gilberto Mora very specific roles on the field. The Colombian strategist placed Mora on the wings, but with the freedom to move into midfield. A false winger with great mobility.

“Nowadays, in a high-level match, the average number of 360-degree turns is 700 per game; he seemed very similar to (Andres) Iniesta to me, and we decided to play him as (Pep) Guardiola often did, as a false winger with his opposite foot,” Osorio said in a much more recent interview with Jorge Ramos.

Gilberto Mora in Liga MX

At just 17 years old, Gilberto Mora is a player with extensive experience in the Liga MX first division, youth World Cups, and even some appearances with the senior national team managed by Javier Aguirre.

The Xolos of Tijuana are the main beneficiaries of “Morita's” level. The young midfielder has already accumulated 47 games played (2,742 minutes on the field), in which he has scored 9 goals and provided 2 assists. Gilberto's value is estimated at $6 million, but according to his agent,the Mexican player's value could exceed $15 million.