Paraguay pain: Star player’s World Cup in doubt
In their final game before the 2026 World Cup, the Paraguayans suffered an injury blow when Julio Enciso was stretchered off.
A crushing blow for Paraguay just one week before their 2026 World Cup opener. The Albirroja’s marquee player, Julio Enciso, was stretchered off in tears against Nicaragua on Friday, after pulling up with sharp pain in his right thigh. The images were alarming, and early signs point to a grim outlook - one that makes the young attacker’s absence from the World Cup a very real possibility.
Enciso hit by thigh injury
In the 16th minute of Paraguay’s 4-0 friendly win in Asunción, Enciso went down, clearly in distress. Minutes earlier, he had already signaled discomfort, prompting head coach Gustavo Alfaro to consider an immediate substitution. The player waved him off at the time, reassuring his boss - only for Alfaro’s worst fears to materialize shortly thereafter.
While medical tests are still pending, all indications suggest Enciso has sustained a quadriceps muscle tear. It’s a serious injury, one that typically sidelines players for weeks. A brutal setback with the World Cup just days away.
Straight to the locker room
Enciso, who lay on the turf with his hands covering his face, had to be carried off by medical staff at the Estadio Defensores del Chaco. He was taken straight to the locker room, his visible distress underscoring what could be a massive loss for a Paraguay side carrying high expectations.
Drawn in Group D, alongside the Australia, Turkey and co-hosts the United States, Paraguay has held legitimate hopes of topping the group - aspirations that now hang in the balance. The South Americans kick off their World Cup campaign on June 12, taking on the U.S. in Los Angeles.
Paraguay’s World Cup Group D schedule:
- June 12, 9:00 p.m. ET: USMNT vs Paraguay, Los Angeles, CA
- June 19, 11:00 p.m. ET: Turkey vs Paraguay, Santa Clara, CA
- June 25, 10:00 p.m. ET: Paraguay vs Australia, Santa Clara, CA
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