A World Cup dream shattered? Paraguay's talisman suffers serious injury and leaves the pitch in tears
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
The Paraguay national team is teetering on the brink of a crushing loss right before the kickoff of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Details: In their final warm-up friendly against Nicaragua—a match meant to be the ultimate dress rehearsal before stepping onto the global stage—Paraguay's midfield engine and Strasbourg star Julio Enciso suffered a severe injury.
The young attacking midfielder couldn't hold back his emotions, leaving the pitch in tears—a sight that sent shockwaves through the coaching staff.
The incident occurred in the second half, when Enciso went down after a heavy challenge and immediately collapsed onto the turf. Paraguay's medical team attended to him for an extended period, but it quickly became clear he would not be able to continue.
At this moment, the Paraguayan Football Association has yet to release an official medical statement, but insiders are sounding the alarm with worrying forecasts.