Julio Enciso: The “diamond of Paraguayan football” wants to go to Europe

Talents Calendar 

The honor is well deserved. Julio Enciso from Club Libertad was voted Jugador Revelación, the revelation of the year, by Paraguay’s football federation APF. The 17-year-old forward had an unbelievable year. Enciso broke into the first squad of the Apertura winner, was nominated for the Copa América, and helped his club reach the semifinal of the Copa Sudamericana. 

Enciso is considered the biggest talent in Paraguay’s football since Miguel Almirón, who now plays for Newcastle United in the Premier League. With a market value of €5.5 million, the 17-year-old is the most valuable player in the Primera División and one of the ten most valuable players in his age category. Enciso has already played over 50 league games for Libertad. (ten goals and five assists). That includes goals in the Copa Libertadores—where he was the youngest player of this century—and the Sudamericana. The forward made his debut at the country’s richest club in 2019, when he was only 15. 

“Of course, I am proud that I am being noticed as it means that my hard work pays off,” Enciso said in an interview with Transfermarkt when asked about his market value. The technically gifted and fast right-footed Paraguayan has been praised for being humble despite his progress. Last November, he finished secondary school while already training full-time with the first team. 

At a glance: Enciso Debut/Goal Debut 

Julio Enciso: Fast, strong dribbler and experience earned from Óscar Cardozo 

On the pitch, Enciso often plays together with striker Sebastián Ferreira or the national treasure Óscar Cardozo, who has been almost like a father figure for the young striker. The 38-year-old is a very different player than Enciso, but his positioning and coldness in front of goal is a perfect role model. 

Enciso has played as a center-forward and an on the wing—but he is most comfortable when he can play around a more natural center-forward. Louis Smith from The Paraguay Football Blog describes Enciso as a player with a high work rate who runs at opponents’ backlines, forcing defenders into mistakes. As a result, the 17-year-old is comfortable in a high-pressing style and when his team sits deep against better opponents. “I consider myself an attacker,” Enciso said when asked about his role. “I can play all positions in the front but also just behind the attacking line.”

A scouting report by totalfootballanalysis.com highlighted Enciso’s ability to dribble, shots from a distance, his movement with the ball, and his speed. “Enciso is already performing far above his age level, and it’s sometimes easy to forget that he is just 17 years old,” the report highlights. “There are some clear areas of improvement in his game, such as his crossing, through balls, shot selection, and aerial ability, but that’s what you’d expect for a 17-year-old – especially one performing at first-team level.”

Un crack de Selección. La del fútbol paraguayo.

Condecoramos en estos #PremiosDePrimeraAPF a Julio Enciso de @Libertad_Guma como el Jugador Revelación del 2021.

¡A seguir deleitándonos, mitâ’i! pic.twitter.com/N6fsbyml7C

— APF (@APFOficial) December 14, 2021

Enciso wants to head to Europe: “The next football star from South America?” 

Enciso can find room by making diagonal runs and by creating space within the box. But because he is only 173cm and 64kg heavy, the forward is not quite ready yet to convert high balls. The report by totalfootballanalysis also highlights this. When it comes to his physical development, Enciso still has room to grow. But that is also normal for his age. “Enciso is a pacy winger with the ability to change direction and an eye for goal; Enciso has all the potential to be one of the future stars from South America for club and country,” NBC Sports journalist Roberto Rojas said in a conversation with Transfermarkt.

At the moment, Enciso is being scouted by both European and North American clubs. Many players from Paraguay opted to head to Major League Soccer or Liga MX before making the move to Europe. “I would like to play in Europe. That is my aim, and that is what my representative Pedro Aldave and I are working towards,” Enciso said when asked about his next step last fall. Perhaps already in January when he turns 18 but most certainly next summer. 

From December 1 to 24, we introduce new players from different countries born in 2004. Area managers, users, and data scouts come into play as experts throughout the series. You can follow all those players by adding them to your TM watchlist.

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