With a coaching career spanning more than three decades, Gian Piero Gasperini has been around the block. So, when the Roma head coach speaks of an “extraordinary talent”, he knows what he is talking about.
That was the label he bestowed on 19-year-old Portuguese playmaker Rodrigo Mora, who Roma signed from Porto for a reported €50million (£43m, £58m) this summer in a club-record deal.
As a diminutive 5ft 6ins (168cm) playmaker, resplendent with a mop of long hair, comparisons with a young Lionel Messi are inevitable. Some stylistic similarities hold true.
Like the Argentinian, Mora drifts freely between the lines, demanding the ball from team-mates before driving purposefully at goal. His dribbling style, too, is full of jinks and feints rather than explosive speed.
Despite his slight stature, Mora uses his low centre of gravity and core strength well to fend off robust challenges. The main question mark concerns his output, with Mora scoring just one league goal for Porto in 2025-26 due to a deeper role in the midfield three.
Now restored to a more advanced position at a new club, expect Mora to thrive in the Champions League. He has started in the attacking line today.
