Three weeks ago, Julio Enciso was stretchered off the field in tears during Paraguay’s final World Cup warm-up. It looked like his tournament was over before it even started. Now he’s the reason his country is dreaming of something bigger.
On Saturday against Germany, Enciso rose above the defense to head in a cross from Matías Galarza in the 42nd minute. The ball sailed past a frozen Manuel Neuer. It wasn’t just the opening goal of a Round of 16 match that felt like a potential upset brewing. It was the first goal Paraguay has ever scored in a World Cup knockout game. Fifth time they’ve made it out of the group stage. Sixth knockout match. First goal.
Enciso, who plays his club soccer for Strasbourg in France, is 22 years old. He’s been electric all tournament, and this was the kind of moment that turns a promising young player into a national hero overnight. The kind of goal that gets replayed for decades in Asunción bars and living rooms.
A career arc that changed in three weeks
When Enciso went down in that warm-up game, the medics took him off on a stretcher. He was crying. You don’t see that often from a pro player unless they know something serious just happened — or they think a World Cup dream just died. But Paraguay’s medical staff got him back on the field faster than anyone expected. He’s started every knockout game since. He’s looked like the best player on the pitch more than once.
This is a guy who was supposed to be a star years ago. He had that kind of buzz coming up through the youth ranks. But injuries and loan moves kept derailing the timeline. Now he’s having what could be a breakout summer on the biggest stage in the sport. And against Germany of all teams.
The irony isn’t lost on anyone. Paraguay’s only previous knockout win came in 2010, when they beat Japan on penalties after a 0-0 draw. They’ve always been a defensively solid team that struggles to score when it matters most. Enciso changed that with one header.
What this means for the rest of the match
The game wasn’t even at halftime when Enciso scored. Germany was the favorite coming in, and they still had 48 minutes plus stoppage time to respond. But Paraguay had the lead and the belief, and their fans inside the stadium sounded like they outnumbered everyone else. Enciso was the reason for all of it.
If Paraguay holds on, this goal becomes legendary. If they don’t, it’s still the first knockout goal in the country’s World Cup history. That’s not nothing.
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