The youngest player on Mexico's FIFA World Cup team got to play in the opener. He has yet to turn 18 but has played in dozens of professional matches already.

Gilberto Mora was 17 years, 240 days old when he joined the squad on the pitch during Mexico's 2–0 win over South Africa in both teams' first match of the 2026 event. Mora, the youngest player overall on any team, became Mexico's youngest-ever World Cup participant, breaking a record that had stood since the first World Cup in 1930. (Manuel Rosas Sanchez was 18 when he played for Mexico in the inaugural event.)

The pressure didn't get to the teen: He completed all 14 passes that he attempted.

Mora was born on Oct. 14, 2008 in Chiapas. His father, Gilberto Sr., also played professionally and now coaches young players at Club Tijuana.

Mora the younger made his pro debut in Liga MX when he was just 15 and racked up an impressive scoring total. Last year, he was on the national senior team, which won the CONCACAF Gold Cup, and became the youngest ever to win a senior international trophy.

Mexico's opener was Mora's 54th pro match. He has already scored 10 goals.

Mora is not the first teenager to appear in the World Cup, which has no minimum age requirement. Other famous teens to participate in past years include Pele, who was 17 when he helped Brazil win the World Cup in 1958.