Julio César Enciso

Loan to Ipswich Town On 23 January 2025, Enciso joined fellow Premier League club Ipswich Town on loan for the remainder of the 2024–25 season. He made his debut against Liverpool in a 4–1 loss, coming on as a substitute.

Strasbourg On 1 September 2025, Enciso joined Ligue 1 club Strasbourg on a deal worth £17 million, with Brighton retaining a sell-on clause.

Return to Ipswich Town On 17 August 2026, Enciso re-signed for Ipswich Town on an undisclosed fee, signing a five-year contract.

International career Enciso is a Paraguayan youth international, having played with the Paraguay U15 side at the 2019 South American U-15 Championship.

Enciso was selected in Paraguay's 26 player roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in June 2026. He scored a goal in the round of 32 match against Germany, which Paraguay ended up winning 4–3 on penalties.

Player profile

Enciso plays as a central forward and is right-footed. Agile in his movements, with a good sense of goal, a precise shot from mid-range, and skill in dribbling. In addition to his main position as a central forward, he can also play on the wings as an attacker or in a more central role, such as an attacking midfielder or false 9.

In another interview, Enciso mentioned that he drew inspiration from his compatriot Óscar Cardozo, with whom he shared a team at Club Libertad. He also spoke about his admiration for Ronaldinho, whom he considers his idol, and his attentive observation of Cristiano Ronaldo's plays.

In 2021, Enciso was included in the list of the top sixty footballers born in 2004, compiled by the British newspaper The Guardian. In June 2023, he was nominated for the Golden Boy Award, given annually by the Italian newspaper Tuttosport, ranking 48th among the 100 candidates. Both Enciso and Argentine Alejandro Garnacho were the only South American representatives selected for this recognition.

On 17 July 2024, Enciso was recognised as the second-best U-21 player in the world in terms of creativity and effectiveness in finishing plays, second only to French player Rayan Cherki. This recognition comes from an analysis by the Centre International d'Etude du Sport (CIES) and was shared through X. Enciso scored 78.7 out of 100, standing out for his ability to create goal-scoring opportunities and take shots on target, although the analysis did not evaluate the accuracy of his shots.

Career statistics Club

International

Scores and results list Paraguay's goal tally first. Premier League Goal of the Season: 2022–23 Brighton & Hove Albion Goal of the Season: 2022–23

Records Youngest player to score a goal on his debut in the Copa Libertadores (16 years and 307 days). Youngest player to score in the Copa Libertadores in the 21st century (16 years and 307 days). First Paraguayan footballer nominated for the Golden Boy Award. First Paraguayan footballer nominated for the Puskás Award, also the first as a finalist for the award. Fourth youngest footballer in history to debut for the Paraguay national team (17 years, 1 month, and 18 days). First Paraguayan footballer chosen as the Goal of the Season by BBC Sport, as well as the Premier League Goal of the Season. Second youngest player in history to score against Arsenal in their own stadium (19 years and 111 days).