Porto’s prodigy Rodrigo Mora: the next superstar of European football?

Rodrigo Mora turned 18 connected Monday but plays with the poise of a seasoned professional. Porto’s caller wonderkid drifts betwixt the lines, picks passes others bash not spot and finishes with elegance. His flair for unlocking defences – whether done goals, assists oregon sheer quality – has caught the attraction of the ace cause Jorge Mendes, who is guiding the midfielder’s career.

“He sees the crippled similar nary 1 I’ve ever coached,” says Nuno Pimentel, the erstwhile Porto under-15 manager. Pimentel, who worked with Mora successful the 2021–22 play and present coaches successful Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr’s younker teams, vividly recalls what acceptable Mora apart.

“His tactical quality allows him to marque the close determination successful astir situations – he’s ever 1 measurement ahead. With that awareness, helium creates abstraction not conscionable for himself but for the team. Then helium combines it each with a precise precocious level of method skill.”

Mora is simply a originative playmaker, directing attacks and connecting the midfield to the guardant line. He links up good with his backmost to goal, often playing speedy one-touch passes to link with an advancing midfielder. He rotates fluidly successful choky spaces and shows assurance erstwhile driving forward.

At 1.68m (5ft 6in), Mora shares much than conscionable stature with his idol Lionel Messi. His debased centre of gravity, adjacent power and imaginativeness invitation the comparison. Like the Argentinian fable helium does not shy distant from carnal contact.

“He’s ne'er intimidated successful carnal battles; erstwhile it comes to body-to-body challenges, helium firmly stands his ground,” Pimentel says, adding that Mora “gives everything” to assistance the team.

A big-money determination feels little a substance of if than when. Scouts from large European clubs routinely be Porto matches with Mora firmly connected their radar. This play successful the Portuguese league, Mora has 8 goals and 4 assists successful 21 appearances – not done explosive gait oregon carnal dominance but done a cerebral sharpness that consistently sets him apart.

Rodrigo Mora attempts to motion disconnected the situation of Casa Pia’s Pablo Roberto. Photograph: Filipe Amorim/AFP/Getty Images

“Enjoy him [him portion you can],” said Porto’s coach, Martín Anselmi, erstwhile asked astir Mora aft a two-goal show against Famalicão past period that turned plentifulness of heads. Porto fans are bracing for his departure but the nine are determined to clasp connected to him.

Sources astatine Porto accidental the purpose is to support Mora for astatine slightest 1 much season. His merchandise clause is €70m (£59.5m), a hefty sum but 1 that immoderate of the continent’s biggest clubs whitethorn respect arsenic a bargain. The hazard of an aboriginal departure is real. As 1 nine root enactment it, Porto volition not judge a penny little for their prized asset.

Although Porto speech pugnacious astatine the negotiating table, fiscal urgency looms large. Porto, erstwhile flush with wealth from major transfers, were profoundly successful indebtedness and struggling to accidental afloat successful aboriginal 2024, the effect of years of mediocre fiscal management. André Villas-Boas, the erstwhile Chelsea and Tottenham manager, was elected president conscionable implicit a twelvemonth agone and hailed arsenic 1 of the past hopes. He won much than 80% of the ballot successful a landmark predetermination against Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa, the astir decorated nine president successful shot history, who had led Porto for 42 years during which they won 69 trophies.

Villas-Boas turned to the younker ranks successful hunt of affordable, homegrown solutions. Mora was the apical candidate. Last July helium was called up from Porto’s B squad to the elder squad for pre-season, weeks aft finishing arsenic the apical scorer astatine the Under-17 European Championship. The archetypal daze was there, but helium was not intimidated and has firmly established himself successful the dressing room.

“It’s each acknowledgment to my family,” helium said successful an interrogation for the nine magazine. “They’re the ones who person helped maine with everything, the ones who’ve chosen the close way for me. Since I don’t person a car yet, they’re the ones who thrust maine to training, for example. They’re everything I request to physique a large career, and I’m precise grateful to them for that.”

Rodrigo Mora arrives for Porto’s lucifer against Estrela da Amadora successful April. Photograph: Valter Gouveia/SPP/Shutterstock

Pimentel believes Mora’s grounded upbringing tin assistance to bring success: “I person nary uncertainty that his household operation volition play an important role. He’s a kid with beardown principles and coagulated values. They’ll assistance support his feet connected the crushed during these high-pressure, high-profile moments. He’s precisely the aforesaid arsenic helium was 3 years ago.”

Where helium goes adjacent remains to beryllium seen – but each signs constituent to Mora becoming 1 of the adjacent blockbuster names successful European football. For now, Porto fans tin lone watch, cheer and anticipation they clasp connected to their rising prima a small longer.