Rodrigo Mora (footballer, Born 2007)

Rodrigo Mora de Carvalho (; born 5 May 2007) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Primeira Liga club Porto.

Club career

Early career

Born in Matosinhos, Porto District, Mora began his youth career with hometown club Custóias FC. Despite early interest from FC Porto, he took a year off from organized football. At age of 9, after impressing as captain and best player in a local tournament, he committed to Porto's youth academy, joining them in 2016.

FC Porto

2022–24: Youth career

He made his professional debut with Porto B as a late substitute in a 1–1 Liga Portugal 2 tie with Tondela on 15 January 2023, becoming, at the age of 15 years, 8 months and 10 days, the youngest professional debutant in the history of Portuguese football. On 2 June, Mora signed his first professional contract with Porto.

On 24 September, he was named Porto's "Young Athlete of the Year". During the 2023–24 season, he played 28 matches and scored four goals, the first being a consolation in a 3–2 loss away at Penafiel on 11 November, becoming, at the age of 16 years, 6 months, and 6 days, the youngest-ever player to score in Liga Portugal 2, a record that he only held for two months, until January 2024, when his teammate Anhá Candé broke it by a month. Furthermore, he was also a member of the Porto youth team that reached the semifinals of the 2023–24 UEFA Youth League, finishing as the tournament's joint top scorer with 7 goals, including a brace in a 1–4 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in September 2023, becoming, at the age of 16 years and four months, the youngest Portuguese to score twice in the Youth League.

2024–25: Rise to the first team and breakthrough

After impressing at the UEFA European Under-17 Championship in the summer, Mora began training with the first team, and integrated the club's pre-season. Subsquently, he was promoted to Porto's first team for the 2024–25 season, making his debut on 25 September in a 3–2 loss away at Bodø/Glimt, during the inaugural matchday of the newly formatted UEFA Europa League league stage; in the process, Mora became the seventh youngest ever player (aged 17 years and 20 days) to play for Porto. He made his league debut, four days later, in a 4–0 win over Arouca. On 28 October, he scored his first goal for the club in a 5–0 victory away against AVS, becoming the fourth youngest player to score for the club.

Over the course of the season, his status within the team grew, despite newly arrived head coach Vítor Bruno being hesitant in starting him, Mora was given his first start in December, grabbing an assist and scoring a goal in a 3–0 victory over Moreirense on 21 December. The following match, seven days later, he scored and assisted again in a 4–0 victory over city rivals Boavista in the ''Invicta derby''. His former head coach underlined that although he was extremely pleased with Mora, but "he still had a long way to go and a lot to achieve". Eventually, he earned a spot in the starting XI, following the inconsistent form of Porto's forwards Galeno and Pepê.

On 3 March 2025, Mora scored the winning goal in a 2–1 win over Estoril, becoming the second youngest ever player (aged 17 years and 304 days) to score five goals in the Primeira Liga, only behind Guilherme Espírito Santo in the 1936–37 season (17 years and 3 months). The following month, on 18 April, he scored a brace in a 2–1 win over Famalicão, becoming the third youngest player to score a brace in the Primeira Liga in the 21st century, only behind Cristiano Ronaldo (2002) and Roger Fernandes (2021). With Porto finishing third place in the league, he ended the campaign with 10 goals, being elected the league's Player of the Month and Midfielder of the Month in April and, on 7 May, Mora renewed his contract until June 2030. His 10 goals made him the highest U-20 goalscorer in Europe's top seven leagues, ahead of the likes of Lamine Yamal and Désiré Doué.

Mora was a member of the Porto team that competed in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, becoming, at the age of 18 years and 40 days, the youngest player of the tournament, scoring in a 4–4 draw with Al Ahly on 24 June, becoming the youngest-ever European goalscorer in the history of the Club World Cup, and fourth overall, only behind Lee Hyun-seung, Roberto de la Rosa, and Alexandre Pato.

International career

Mora started his youth career for Portugal, scoring in the 3–1 win for the under-15 team against Finland in Cidade do Futebol on 25 November 2021. With the under-17 side, Mora participated in the 2024 UEFA European Under-17 Championship in Cyprus. He finished as top scorer in the tournament with five goals, helping Portugal to a runners-up finish, after losing in the final 3–0 to Italy. For his performances throughout the competition, he was named in the "Team of the Tournament".

On 10 September 2024, Mora made his under-21 debut, assisting the second goal in a 2–0 win over Croatia in the 2025 UEFA European Championship qualifying stage.

Mora was called up to the Portugal senior team on 20 May 2025, for the 2025 UEFA Nations League Finals that were played in June, being part of the team that won the tournament, despite not making an appearance.

Personal life

Mora's father is José Manuel, a former professional footballer who played as a defender for several clubs including Leixões, Braga and Moreirense.

Style of play

Mora is a highly technical, left-footed attacking midfielder who can also operate as an inverted winger. His style is defined by his low center of gravity, tight ball control, and intelligent spatial awareness, allowing him to receive between lines and manipulate tempo effectively, often delivering incisive through balls and contributing to fluid attacking sequences. He excels in short passing combinations and progressive carries, often dictating play in the final third with incisive through balls or quick one-two's. Though not physically imposing, he compensates with balance, agility, and anticipation, contributing both as a playmaker and secondary goal threat.

Career statistics

Club

Honours

Portugal U17
*UEFA European Under-17 Championship runner-up: 2024

Portugal
*UEFA Nations League: 2024–25

Individual
*UEFA Youth League top goalscorer: 2023–24
* UEFA European Under-17 Championship top scorer: 2024
*UEFA European Under-17 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2024
*Primeira Liga Player of the Month: April 2025

References

External links

*
FPF Profile

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mora, Rodrigo
2007 births
Living people
Footballers from Porto
Portuguese men's footballers
Portugal men's youth international footballers
Portugal men's under-21 international footballers
Men's association football midfielders
Men's association football wingers
Primeira Liga players
Liga Portugal 2 players
FC Porto players
FC Porto B players
UEFA Nations League–winning players
21st-century Portuguese sportsmen