After Mexico’s 3-0 win over Czechia, in which 22-year-old Mateo Chávez earned Player of the Match honors, Mora walked into the press zone and answered questions with the same calm he had shown on the field.
“Honestly, I did think I could achieve it, but not this soon,” Mora said when asked about his first World Cup start. “But now that I’m here, I try to enjoy it, take it day by day and give my best whenever I step onto the field. And honestly, we’re very happy to be able to close it out with three wins and without conceding a goal. It’s really exciting for us, and we’re going to keep working so we can continue on that path.”
Mora finished the match with two key passes, but what stood out most was the composure he gave The Triespecially in the second half, when Mexico began creating danger in Czechia’s penalty area. Every touch seemed to calm the game.
“Who was going to take the penalty? Gil Mora, at 17 years old, would have taken the penalty,” Javier “Vasco” Aguirre said after the match. “What I’m trying to say is that Mateo, Obed and Gil are 20, 21, 19 and 17. I don’t even know. But beyond that, they are extremely prepared.
“This is a generation of young Mexicans who are not afraid of the ball, who are not overwhelmed by the stage. It does not scare them. I’m delighted with them. We have a good group of people. There are some very experienced players with three or four World Cups, and there are others who are making their debuts.
“I think we’ve already given debuts to 16 or 17 players, maybe 15. I don’t know exactly how many. And honestly, I like that. I like it because this is the new generation, this is our future, and we have a strong foundation for what comes next.”
