Mexico coaches confident U20/U23 teams will succeed without star Mora

The coaches of Mexico's U20 and U23 national football teams are projecting confidence despite the absence of rising star Gilberto Mora for key upcoming tournaments. Alex Diego, the U20 coach, and Eduardo Arce, the U23 coach, believe Mora's focus on the senior team and managing an injury will not derail their squads' ambitions.

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Gil was carrying an injury that required a lot of care before the World Cup, and in the end, it was decided that his process would be with the senior team. He had a very good World Cup and has a spectacular future that needs to be protected.

Mora, a 17-year-old widely regarded as Mexican football's brightest prospect, is prioritizing his development with the senior national team. "Gil was carrying an injury that required a lot of care before the World Cup, and in the end, it was decided that his process would be with the senior team," explained Diego. "He had a very good World Cup and has a spectacular future that needs to be protected."

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It's not about blocking processes, but about understanding that players are not robots; they are people who have injuries and need rest, they are not machines.

Diego emphasized that players are not machines and require rest and injury management. "Gil comes from processes where he has played with the U17, with the U18, he played the World Cup with the senior team, and the body sometimes says 'ease up a bit so you can stay at your best and perform optimally,'" he said. Despite Mora's absence, Diego asserted that Mexico is the clear favorite to qualify for both the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and the U20 World Cup.

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Gil needs to focus on his team, rest, and continue his process with the senior team.

Arce echoed this sentiment, stating that Mora was never considered for the Central American Games, as his focus was intended for the U20 team's qualification matches. "Gil needs to focus on his team, rest, and continue his process with the senior team," Arce commented on the young midfielder from local club Tijuana. He also dismissed concerns about the team's strength, noting that the summoned players are more than prepared and that Mexico is expected to excel at this level, aiming for gold in the Central American and Caribbean Games Santo Domingo 2026.

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We are missing names, but the players we have are more than prepared. Those called up are doing very well. The obligation is always there because at this level, Mexico always stands out.