Julio Enciso (footballer, born 2004)

Not to be confused with Julio César Enciso (footballer, born 1974).
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Enciso and the second or maternal family name is Espínola.

Julio Enciso
Enciso warming up with Brighton & Hove Albion in 2022
Personal information
Full name Julio César Enciso Espínola[1]
Date of birth (2004-01-23) 23 January 2004 (age 20)[2]
Place of birth Caaguazú, Paraguay
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[3]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Brighton & Hove Albion
Number 10
Youth career
2015–2019 Libertad
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2022 Libertad 55 (18)
2022– Brighton & Hove Albion 40 (4)
International career‡
2019 Paraguay U15
2024 Paraguay U23 5 (1)
2021– Paraguay 23 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:00, 15 December 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:58, 19 November 2024 (UTC)

Julio César Enciso Espínola (born 23 January 2004) is a Paraguayan professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion and the Paraguay national team.[4]

Club career

Early career

Enciso started playing football at his local club, at Caaguazú, Paraguay. At twelve years old he was recruited by Libertad.[3] Enciso made his senior debut for Club Libertad on 17 March 2019, aged 15, in a 4–0 home victory against Deportivo Santaní.[5] He became the youngest player to debut with Libertad.[3]

Brighton & Hove Albion

On 17 June 2022, Enciso transferred to Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion for a transfer fee of £9.5 million plus future add-on fees, signing an initial four-year contract.[6][7] He made his Brighton debut on 24 August, playing 80 minutes of the 3–0 away win over League One side Forest Green Rovers in the EFL Cup second round, where he claimed assist to Steven Alzate's long range goal.[8]

Enciso made his Premier League debut on 29 October, coming on as a 65th minute substitute for Adam Lallana in Brighton’s 4–1 home win over Chelsea.[9] He scored his first goal for the club on 4 April 2023, in a 2–0 away win at Bournemouth.[10] Nearly two weeks later, he scored in a 1–2 away win over Chelsea, helping the Albion secure a victory at Stamford Bridge for the first time in their history.[11][12]

Enciso started in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on 23 April, playing 67 minutes as Brighton eventually lost on penalties to Manchester United.[13] Three days later, the 19–year–old made his first Premier League start for the Albion, in the 3–1 away loss at Nottingham Forest.[14] Three days after that on 29 April, he made two assists in Brighton's 6–0 home victory over the Wolves, Brighton's biggest Premier League victory.[15]

On May 14, Enciso opened the scoreline with a header from a Pervis Estupiñán cross in an eventual 3–0 away win at Arsenal.[16] He scored his first goal at Falmer Stadium on 24 May, scoring a 25-yard goal against Manchester City, with Brighton sealing a place in the 2023–24 UEFA Europa League.[17] The goal was chosen as BBC Goal of the Season for 2022–23[18] and later chosen as Premier League Goal of the Season, beating out the likes of Brentford's Ivan Toney and Newcastle's Miguel Almirón in a vote decided by a panel of experts as well as the public's opinion.[19] Enciso also went on win the Goal of the Season at Brighton's end of season awards.[20]

On 19 August 2023, Enciso notably set up both of Solly March's goals in a 4–1 away win at Wolverhampton Wanderers, Brighton's second match of the 2023–24 season.[21][22] However, the following week, the striker suffered a knee issue and was subsequently ruled out for "a long period", according to manager Roberto De Zerbi.[23][24]

International career

Enciso is a Paraguayan youth international, having played with the Paraguay U15 side at the 2019 South American U-15 Championship.[3] He first represented the senior Paraguay national team in a 3–1 2021 Copa América win over Bolivia on 14 June 2021.[25]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 15 December 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Libertad 2019 Paraguayan Primera División 3 0 2 0 — 0 0 5 0
2020 Paraguayan Primera División 8 1 0 0 — 2 1 10 2
2021 Paraguayan Primera División 30 6 3 4 — 9 2 42 12
2022 Paraguayan Primera División 14 11 0 0 — 3 0 17 11
Total 55 18 5 4 0 0 14 3 74 25
Brighton & Hove Albion 2022–23[26] Premier League 20 4 3 0 3 0 — 26 4
2023–24[27] Premier League 12 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 15 0
2024–25 Premier League 8 0 0 0 3 0 — 11 0
Total 40 4 4 0 6 0 2 0 52 4
Career total 95 22 9 4 6 0 16 3 126 29
  1. ^ Includes Copa Paraguay and FA Cup
  2. ^ Includes EFL Cup

International

As of match played 19 November 2024[28]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Paraguay 2021 2 0
2022 7 0
2023 2 0
2024 12 2
Total 23 2

Scores and results list Paraguay's goal tally first.[28]

List of international goals scored by Julio Enciso
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 24 June 2024 NRG Stadium, Houston, United States 15  Colombia 1–2 1–2 2024 Copa América
2 19 November 2024 Estadio Municipal de El Alto, El Alto, Bolivia 23  Bolivia 2–2 2–2 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Libertad

Individual

Records[citation needed]

  • 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).

References

  1. ^ "2022/23 Premier League squad lists". Premier League. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Men's Olympic Football Tournament Paris 2024 – Squad List: Paraguay (PAR)" (PDF). FIFA. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d "Julio Enciso: talento paraguayano classe 2004". World football scouting (in Italian). 18 December 2019.
  4. ^ J. Enciso at Soccerway. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  5. ^ "Libertad vs. Deportivo Santaní - 17 March 2019 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  6. ^ "Julio Enciso signs for Albion". Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. 17 June 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  7. ^ "Brighton complete signing of Paraguay international Julio Enciso". The Athletic. 17 June 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  8. ^ "Forest Green 0-3 Brighton: Albion to face Arsenal in third round - BBC Sport". BBC Sport Sport. 24 August 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  9. ^ "Brighton v Chelsea 2022/23". Premier League Sport. 29 October 2022. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  10. ^ "Bournemouth 0-2 Brighton & Hove Albion: Evan Ferguson flick boosts Seagulls' top-four hopes". BBC Sport. 4 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  11. ^ "Enciso stunner gives Brighton victory at Chelsea". BBC Sport. 15 April 2023. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  12. ^ "Chelsea 1-2 Brighton: Julio Enciso fires superb winner to boost Seagulls' European dreams with historic win at Stamford Bridge". Sky Sports. 15 April 2023. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  13. ^ "It's Wembley heartbreak as Albion are beaten on penalties". Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. 23 April 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  14. ^ "Albion felled by Forest". Brighton & Hove Albion. 26 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  15. ^ "Back on track with six of the best". Brighton & Hove Albion. 29 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  16. ^ "It's three and easy as magnificent Albion move up to sixth". Brighton & Hove Albion. 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  17. ^ "Brighton 1-1 Manchester City: Julio Enciso scores stunning equaliser to seal Europa League place". BBC Sport. 24 May 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  18. ^ "Match of the Day on Twitter". BBC. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  19. ^ "Enciso wins Budweiser Goal of the Season award". Premier League. 4 June 2023.
  20. ^ a b "Caicedo is double award winner". Brighton & Hove Albion. 2 August 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  21. ^ Morgan, Richard (19 August 2023). "Wolves 1-4 Brighton: Solly March double helps visitors to easy Molineux win". Sky Sports. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  22. ^ "March: De Zerbi has set me a target of 15 goals". Brighton & Hove Albion. 20 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  23. ^ "Roberto De Zerbi's message to injured Julio Enciso". The Argus. 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  24. ^ Smith, Adam (28 August 2023). "Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi on Kaoru Mitoma and Solly March form, Julio Enciso injury and Evan Ferguson potential". Sky Sports. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  25. ^ "Paraguay vs. Bolivia - 15 June 2021 - Soccerway".
  26. ^ "Games played by Julio Enciso in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  27. ^ "Games played by Julio Enciso in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  28. ^ a b "Julio Enciso". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  29. ^ "Match of the Day on Twitter". BBC. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  30. ^ "Enciso wins Budweiser Goal of the Season award". Premier League. 4 June 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  31. ^ "FIFA reveal Puskas award finalists as Brighton's Julio Enciso leads nominations for his wondergoal against Man City". Premier League. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2022.