Rodrigo Mora turned 18 on Monday but plays with the poise of a seasoned professional. Porto’s new wonderkid drifts between the lines, picks passes others do not see and finishes with elegance. His flair for unlocking defences – whether through goals, assists or sheer intelligence – has caught the attention of the super agent Jorge Mendes, who is guiding the midfielder’s career.
“He sees the game like no one I’ve ever coached,” says Nuno Pimentel, the former Porto under-15 manager. Pimentel, who worked with Mora in the 2021–22 season and now coaches in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr’s youth teams, vividly recalls what set Mora apart.
“His tactical intelligence allows him to make the right decision in most situations – he’s always one step ahead. With that awareness, he creates space not just for himself but for the team. Then he combines it all with a very high level of technical skill.”
Mora is a creative playmaker, directing attacks and connecting the midfield to the forward line. He links up well with his back to goal, often playing quick one-touch passes to connect with an advancing midfielder. He rotates fluidly in tight spaces and shows confidence when driving forward.
At 1.68m (5ft 6in), Mora shares more than just stature with his idol Lionel Messi. His low centre of gravity, close control and vision invite the comparison. Like the Argentinian legend he does not shy away from physical contact.
“He’s never intimidated in physical battles; when it comes to body-to-body challenges, he firmly stands his ground,” Pimentel says, adding that Mora “gives everything” to help the team.
A big-money move feels less a matter of if than when. Scouts from major European clubs routinely attend Porto matches with Mora firmly on their radar. This season in the Portuguese league, Mora has eight goals and four assists in 21 appearances – not through explosive pace or physical dominance but through a cerebral sharpness that consistently sets him apart.
“Enjoy him [him while you can],” said Porto’s coach, Martín Anselmi, when asked about Mora after a two-goal performance against Famalicão last month that turned plenty of heads. Porto fans are bracing for his departure but the club are determined to hold on to him.
Sources at Porto say the aim is to keep Mora for at least one more season. His release clause is €70m (£59.5m), a hefty sum but one that some of the continent’s biggest clubs may regard as a bargain. The risk of an early departure is real. As one club source put it, Porto will not accept a penny less for their prized asset.
Although Porto talk tough at the negotiating table, financial urgency looms large. Porto, once flush with money frommajor transfers, were deeply in debt and struggling to say afloat in early 2024, the result of years of poor financial management. André Villas-Boas, the former Chelsea and Tottenham manager, was elected president just over a year ago and hailed as one of the last hopes. He won more than 80% of the vote in a landmark election against Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa, the most decorated club president in football history, who had led Porto for 42 years during which they won 69 trophies.
Villas-Boas turned to the youth ranks in search of affordable, homegrown solutions. Mora was the top candidate. Last July he was called up from Porto’s B team to the senior squad for pre-season, weeks after finishing as the top scorer at the Under-17 European Championship. The initial shock was there, but he was not intimidated and has firmly established himself in the dressing room.
Sign up toFootball Daily
Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football
after newsletter promotion
“It’s all thanks to my family,” he said in an interview for the club magazine. “They’re the ones who have helped me with everything, the ones who’ve chosen the right path for me. Since I don’t have a car yet, they’re the ones who drive me to training, for example. They’re everything I need to build a great career, and I’m very grateful to them for that.”
Pimentel believes Mora’s grounded upbringing can help to bring success: “I have no doubt that his family structure will play an important role. He’s a kid with strong principles and solid values. They’ll help keep his feet on the ground during these high-pressure, high-profile moments. He’s exactly the same as he was three years ago.”
Where he goes next remains to be seen – but all signs point to Mora becoming one of the next blockbuster names in European football. For now, Porto fans can only watch, cheer and hope they hold on to their rising star a little longer.