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17-year-old Mexican player misses graduation while competing at World Cup
The teenage footballer graduated from high school while representing Mexico at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with a viral video showing classmates cheering as his name was called during the ceremony.
- PUBLISHED: Thu 9 Jul 2026, 1:20 PM
At 17 years old, while his classmates were graduating from high school, Gilberto Mora was competing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, becoming one of the youngest players to appear in the tournament.
Already considered one of the rising stars of the Mexican national team, Mora attended the German School Cuauhtémoc Hank in Tijuana, Baja California.
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A video from his graduation ceremony circulated online, showing his classmates erupting in applause as the teacher called Mora's name during the roll call of graduates, even though he was away with the Mexican national team.
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One of his classmates was even holding a sign with Mora's face printed on it, making it feel as though he was there in person.
The graduation video quickly went viral on social media, with fans praising Mora for successfully balancing his education while representing Mexico at the world's biggest football tournament.
While Mora competed with Mexico at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, his classmates gathered for a group photo after their graduation ceremony, celebrating the milestone he was unable to attend in person.
Although Mexico was eliminated after a 3-2 loss to England, Mora has already established himself as one of the country's brightest young talents, with his football career just getting started.
Mariam Alrashdi is a lifestyle and entertainment reporter at Khaleej Times, with a focus on local trends, Emirati culture, and the arts.