Julio Enciso Profile, Stats and Career
Paraguay's 22-year-old wildcard — a former Brighton Premier League star now at Strasbourg with a €25m market value and the creative unpredictability to change any World Cup match.
By
Saim Junior
Published June 2026Julio Enciso is a 22-year-old Paraguayan attacking midfielder and one of the most talented young players in European football. A former Brighton & Hove Albion player who joined Strasbourg in September 2025, he has a market value of €25 million and 32 caps for Paraguay despite being just 22 years old. This profile covers his age, career from Libertad to Brighton to Strasbourg, club statistics, and his role as Paraguay's most exciting attacker at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Born in Caaguazú, Paraguay, Enciso joined Libertad's academy at age 12 and made his senior debut at 15 in March 2019 — one of the youngest players to appear in Paraguay's Primera División. Brighton signed him in 2022 for a fee reported at around €10–12 million. After loans to Ipswich Town and a significant injury setback, he joined Strasbourg in September 2025 on a contract through June 2029. In 2025–26 Ligue 1 he has recorded 3 goals and 6 assists with a 6.99 FotMob average.
Quick Answer
Julio César Enciso Espínola is a Paraguayan professional attacking midfielder born on 23 January 2004 in Caaguazú, Paraguay. He plays for RC Strasbourg in Ligue 1 and has 32 caps and 4 goals for Paraguay. Enciso was purchased by Brighton for approximately €10–12 million in 2022 and joined Strasbourg in September 2025 for a reported €9.5 million. His market value is estimated at €25 million.
Early Life and Background
Julio Enciso was born on 23 January 2004 in Caaguazú, in the Caaguazú Department of central-eastern Paraguay. He began playing football at a local club before Libertad's academy scouts identified him and brought him to Asunción at age 12. He spent four years in Libertad's youth system before making his senior debut on 17 March 2019 at just 15 years old — one of the youngest professional football debuts in Paraguay's modern era.
His Libertad senior career (2019–2022) produced 28+ appearances, 4 goals, and exposure to Copa Libertadores competition. Brighton's scouts had been monitoring him since his U-20 appearances, and in 2022 they moved to secure his signature as part of their long-running strategy of identifying and developing South American talent.
Brighton, Ipswich loan, injuries, and Strasbourg
Brighton signed Enciso in 2022 and he immediately made an impression — his debut season produced standout individual moments including goals against Bournemouth and Chelsea in 2022–23. A loan to Ipswich Town in January 2025 was disrupted by knee injuries that cost him significant playing time. Strasbourg paid approximately €9.5 million to sign him outright in September 2025.
At Strasbourg in 2025–26 under manager Liam Rosenior, Enciso has been one of Ligue 1's most creative attackers — 3 goals, 6 assists, and a 6.99 FotMob average rating across 20+ appearances. His 8.9 Sofascore rating in a single match against Monaco in 2026 was the highest individual match rating of his club career to that point, confirming his return to top form after his injury setbacks.
Julio Enciso Personal Info and Profile
| Full name | Julio César Enciso Espínola |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 23 January 2004 |
| Age | 22 |
| Place of birth | Caaguazú, Paraguay |
| Nationality | Paraguay |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in / 1.73 m |
| Weight | ~143 lbs / 65 kg |
| Position | Attacking Midfielder / Left Winger |
| Preferred foot | Right |
| Current club | RC Strasbourg |
| Jersey number | 19 |
Enciso is the youngest player in Paraguay's 2026 World Cup attacking lineup and the squad's most technically unpredictable attacker. His ability to beat defenders off either foot, shoot from distance, and create chaos in organised defensive setups makes him the player opponents least want to face when Paraguay are on the counter-attack.
Transfer News and Market Value
Julio Enciso joined Strasbourg in September 2025 for a reported €9.5 million from Brighton on a contract through June 2029. His market value has risen to approximately €25 million as of June 2026, reflecting his recovery from injury, his Ligue 1 form, and Paraguay's World Cup squad selection.
Brighton retain no sell-on clause from the Strasbourg transfer based on available reports. Strasbourg effectively purchased him outright at a discount from his potential market value — a deal that looks increasingly shrewd as his Ligue 1 form has improved through the season.
European clubs including Bundesliga and Premier League sides have been linked with future interest, though no confirmed approach has emerged ahead of the World Cup. A strong tournament performance at 22 could trigger a significant move in the 2026–27 window.
His contract through June 2029 provides Strasbourg security, but at a €25 million valuation with a World Cup profile, the club would likely entertain significant offers if the right bid materialises.
Salary and Net Worth
Julio Enciso's salary at Strasbourg is estimated between €50,000 and €80,000 per month, consistent with a key creative player at a Ligue 1 club backed by Blue Castle Enterprises.
At Brighton, his salary would have been in the range of £20,000–40,000 per week — consistent with a young developing player at an established Premier League club.
His Libertad salary in Paraguay was in the Paraguayan domestic range — estimated at $3,000–6,000 per month.
Paraguay World Cup distribution provides a significant income supplement during the tournament — his first major FIFA tournament payment.
Total career earnings to date are estimated at approximately $3–6 million USD, reflecting his age and his relatively recent entry into higher-salary European football.
Commercial interest has been growing since his breakthrough performances. Brighton exposure and now Ligue 1 form combined with World Cup selection are creating commercial opportunities.
Estimated net worth is approximately $2–4 million USD. His earning potential over the next decade is among the highest of any player in Paraguay's squad.
Julio Enciso Club Career
Enciso made his senior debut at Libertad in March 2019 at 15 — making 28+ senior appearances and winning the División Profesional 2021 Apertura title and Copa Paraguay with the club. His Copa Libertadores appearances for Libertad gave him continental experience before his age group warranted it.
Brighton's signing in 2022 placed him in one of European football's most progressive development environments. His 2022–23 Premier League season produced iconic individual moments — goals against Bournemouth, Chelsea, and Tottenham. Injury setbacks in 2024–25, including a significant knee injury, disrupted his development during the Ipswich loan period.
Strasbourg's investment in September 2025 proved to be the fresh start his career needed. Away from the pressure of Premier League expectations and in a team built around his creativity, he has rediscovered the form that made Brighton invest in him in the first place — 3 goals and 6 assists across 20+ Ligue 1 appearances with a creative output that places him among the top attacking midfielders in the French top flight.
His 32 caps for Paraguay include multiple Copa América appearances and the 2026 World Cup qualifying cycle — despite playing from age 18 onwards. At 22, he is one of the youngest senior internationals in Paraguay's modern history with that many caps.
Club Career Stats
| Period | Club | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–2022 | Libertad | 28+ | 4 |
| 2022–2025 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 70+ | 6 |
| 2025–present | RC Strasbourg | 20+ | 3 |
2025–26 Ligue 1 season (Strasbourg)
| Apps | Goals | Assists | Avg Rating | Top match rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20+ | 3 | 6 | 6.99 (FotMob) | 8.9 vs Monaco (Sofascore) |
International Career
Julio Enciso made his senior Paraguay debut in 2021 at age 17 and has accumulated 32 caps since — an extraordinary international record for someone born in 2004. He has appeared at Copa América and multiple qualifying windows alongside veterans twice his age.
His 4 international goals include a memorable strike in the Copa América and contributions during the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. His unpredictability — the ability to produce a moment of individual brilliance without warning — makes him one of the most valuable attacking options in Paraguay's squad despite his age.
At 22, the 2026 World Cup is not the end of his international career — it may be the moment the world outside South America and Europe properly discovers what Paraguayan football has known since his Libertad debut at 15. Enciso is the wildcard, the creative spark, and the most exciting player in Paraguay's 2026 squad.
| National team | Caps | Goals | Tournament involvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paraguay | 32 | 4 | Copa América 2021, 2024; WC Qualifying 2026; 2026 FIFA World Cup |
Honours and Trophies
| Trophy | Times Won | Years |
|---|---|---|
| División Profesional Apertura | 1 | 2021 (Libertad) |
| Copa Paraguay | 1 | 2019 (Libertad) |
| Conference League participation | — | Brighton & Hove Albion 2023–24 |
Playing Style and Key Strengths
Julio Enciso is an attacking midfielder and left winger whose best qualities are unpredictability, technical flair, and the ability to produce match-defining moments from individual skill. His right-footed shooting from outside the box — demonstrated in spectacular Premier League goals — and his close control in tight spaces make him very difficult to defend against in one-on-one situations.
His strongest attributes are his dribbling, his shooting from distance, and his creative movement between lines. He beats defenders off both feet despite being predominantly right-footed, and his instinct to attempt the unexpected — the long-range strike, the through-ball in tight spaces — creates a constant threat that organised defences struggle to fully neutralise.
Paraguay's 2026 World Cup wildcard
Every World Cup squad has a wildcard — the player capable of producing a moment that changes a match in an instant. For Paraguay, Julio Enciso is that player. His career from Caaguazú to Libertad, Brighton, and now Strasbourg has been defined by unpredictability and moments of individual brilliance. At 22, the 2026 World Cup gives him the platform to announce himself to the global audience — and when Enciso has the ball in space, anything is possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
Julio Enciso's career from Caaguazú to La Masia — through Libertad, Brighton, injury, and Strasbourg — is a story of extraordinary talent meeting the inevitable challenges of development. At 22, he is already one of the most experienced young players in his squad, and his ability to create something from nothing makes him Paraguay's most exciting attacking prospect.
The 2026 World Cup is the stage where Enciso's global profile will either take flight or confirm that more development is needed. Given what he has already produced at club level — spectacular goals, creative assists, and the adaptability to compete across three different football systems — the expectation is that the former is far more likely.
