Julio Enciso – Libertad’s attacking diamond
At 17-years-old and before graduating high-school last month, Julio Enciso made his debut for Libertad at 15-years-old in March 2019, scored on his Copa Libertadores debut, becoming the youngest goal scorer in history before having the record taken from him by Angelo Borges. He also made his debut with the Paraguayan National Team, playing 10 minutes in the Copa America this summer while he has become one of the most important players for Libertad. He has an immense level of talent and potential as before he turns 18 at the end of January, he already has a ton of experience in professional football. He has been with Libertad since the age of 11 as this is where he developed a mature mindset as well as an impudence on the pitch, with no stage too big for him to try and take command of the game.
Enciso’s physique is already highly developed as he has spent a large amount of time developing his lower body while in terms of his upper body strength, he brushes off challenges with his power while he has the speed and dribbling ability to surge past swarms of defenders. The 17-year-old has played as a right-winger, left-winger, second-striker and attacking playmaker as one of the most intriguing things about him is that he already possesses elite tactical intelligence as he can receive possession in between the lines, turn and surge forward while having the ability to thread passes to teammates. He can also work connections in between the lines while if he is tasked with creating width on the flank, he can receive possession, skip past his marker in 1v1s and create opportunities by lobbing crosses into the box. Another facet of his game that stands out, is his appetite for pressing, surging towards defenders to win possession or force them into mistakes as he also has the speed and directness to lead his team on the counter-attacks.
In his first few games with the first-team, despite scoring some amazing goals with the first-team, Enciso would look apprehensive in possession, receiving the ball and laying it off and rarely looking to drive the ball and hold possession as he regularly does now. His game has come leaps and bounds as he is involved in most Libertad attacking interchanges. At home in the Copa Sudamericana semi-final second-leg against Red Bull Bragantino, as he had an opportunity from a cut-back to him saved. He was playing on the right flank, looking to receive possession in the channels as he made good runs while once he received possession, he would beat the first-man but struggle to hold onto possession for long. The 17-year-old would have another opportunity, receiving possession on the right flank to cut past his man before ballooning an opportunity over the bar with his left foot.
Enciso has many tools as an attacker as he loves to occupy the space in between the centre-back and fullback on either flank as he received possession in that area to stand up his marker and cut-back a pass. Enciso’s dribbling style allows him to change direction to drive past markers or produce more elaborate moments, skipping past markers as he engages a marker looking to drive the ball to one side of his marker before flicking the ball back at the last moment to beat his marker. This is a regular routine for him as he always looks to beat a defender with a last-minute flick, but the teenager can also try to hold the ball for too long which means he is capable of losing possession in the opposition half. He continued to pick up some lovely positions in the half-spaces and wide areas, receiving possession to cut past his man and thread a lovely pass into the box. The 17-year-old is also strong enough to win aerial duels while he also led his sides counter-attacks, faking cutting inside before going outside his marker and having a low cross blocked. His last action of the game was to receive possession on the right flank to hold off his marker before sending a shot over the bar from a tight angle, finishing the game with 3 shots and 3/6 takeons.
Away to Nacional, Enciso flicked a blocked shot at goal as the 17-year-old’s early experiences in football have not only left him with tactical intelligence but wide array of tools. In certain games, he drops into the deeper areas of the pitch to demand possession as in one particular situation, he received the ball to lob a pass to a teammate before receiving possession in between the lines to work a through ball for a teammate to drive into the box. Despite his tender age, Enciso is incredibly confident in his dribbling, skipping and jerking past players with ease as he beat a man to lob a cross into the box. His decision making is also highly innate, weaving past gluts of defenders while picking up his head to thread passes to create opportunities. The teenage Paraguayan sensation is at his best when he is receiving possession in little pockets of space in the channels where he can receive possession and drive at the opposition defence.
Another high-level aspect of Enciso’s game is that he is a remarkably astute and reliable pressing player, surging at opposition defenders to win possession or force sloppy passes into the next line to win possession. He also has the physical strength to shoulder opposition defenders off the ball if the opportunity presents itself as this a part of his game that will translate well to the highest levels of European football. Another aspect of his game that will translate into the next level is his ability to draw fouls in the opposition half, he is so physically imposing and quick, at times he forces defenders into fouling him by skipping past them or making an ill-advised lunge in front of the opposition box. One of the more refined aspects of Enciso’s game are as a ball-carrier as in one situation he drove the ball forward, using his physique to hold off a marker before elegantly cutting past another defender as he lost possession to a sliding challenge.
He would use another method of nearly creating another opportunity for himself as he worked a one-two with a teammate to get in behind but the pass back to him was askew, so he did not have the opportunity to have a shot on goal. He then received possession in between the lines to turn away from his man before he was fouled with a rough challenge to win a free-kick in the opposition half. The 17-year-old was fouled a lot in the second half as in one instance, he received possession on the left to cut inside before being barged over while in another situation, but he then had another moment where he defiantly received possession in the half-space to weave into a good area and have an impeccably curled strike tipped wide. He had another sequence from the left flank where to flick a nonchalant pass to a teammate which came off while in a different sequence he would work a pass into the centre before continuing his run, but his teammate was unable to find him.
Enciso’s range was shown in the positions that he occupied in the front line as he was in the wide areas, picking up possession in the half-spaces before moving into a more central second-striking role at some point during the half. He received a pass in between the lines as yet another facet of his game, is taking up central positions, receiving the ball in between the lines and laying the ball off or turning and connecting play to create shooting opportunities. At home to Guarani, while playing in a second-striker role, he would also show his ability to lead the pressure phase without possession while his combination play was impressive as in one situation, he made a run into the channel to turn and lay the ball off in a tight space. In the second-striker role, Enciso can make runs into the channels to receive possession where he has the skillset to hold the ball, connect play, create a chance or fashion a shooting opportunity for himself.
He then received possession in the ten space, to skip past a man and drive the ball forward as he attempted a through ball, but Robert Fernandez was on hand to intercept the pass. It seems automatic that he is able to beat his first man with his ability to receive possession in tight spaces, confidence in his dribbling as well as his size. The 17-year-old is a fantastic technical player, but his physique has allowed him to have a well-rounded game at such an early age as he received possession from a lay-off as an opposition defender literally bounced off him for him to drive forward and work a through ball to Sebastian Ferreira. His physique would prove crucial again when he received possession on the break, to cut past one man with another defender bouncing off him as he dribbled to the flank where he held the ball for too long before threading a pass to a teammate at the edge of the box.
His confidence in his dribbling and ball-carrying ability is a constant in his game as he would go on yet another mazy run after receiving possession in the half-space to skip past the first man, bouncing off another marker before using his body to as he utilized a body shift to skip past another man to work a cross for a teammate who sent his shot wide. He would beat the first man again, this time in midfield as he drew a foul in a key position. The 17-year-old received possession on the counter-attack again to cut inside and attempt to thread a pass into a runner but his was intercepted by Fernandez. Enciso also showed potential in another aspect of his game with double-movements to evade markers in the box as he moved behind his marker before making a dart in front of the defender to receive a cross and have his shot blocked. He would then make a tackle to regain possession doggishly from a centre-back as his appetite for defensive work pairs nicely with his ability in possession. The 17-year-old received possession again to skip past one player before attempting a progressive pass which was intercepted.
Away to fellow Paraguayan giants, Olimpia, he would have another strong outing. He began the game by pressing the ball as he pushed up against an opposition centre-back to force an errant pass for a turnover in the midfield line before he pushed up against the goalkeeper ro force another errant pass which lead to a turnover. He then took a heavy touch and lost possession before pushing up against the goalkeeper to force another errant pass and instigate a turnover. The teenager was playing in a second-striker/attacking midfield hybrid role, taking up deeper and more central positions as he worked a one-two after winning an aerial duel, held possession to drive the ball forward before he had a pass intercepted. The 17-year-old then received possession in between the lines to spin past a marker, skip past another defender and lob a cross into the box for Ferreira to divert the opportunity onto the post before scoring the rebound as Enciso’s delivery was worthy of an assist.
Enciso’s propensity to receive possession in between the lines and use his body to shield the ball while having the quick feet and dribbling to earn a yard of space to create a better situation for himself to have a shooting opportunity or create a shooting opportunity for a teammate is fantastic. He would show an example of this in another situation as he received the ball in the deeper areas to hold off a marker before surging into a glut of players before threading a fantastic through ball for a runner. He would create another opportunity when he received possession with his back to goal to flick an outside of the boot pass for Ferreira to have a shot blocked. With all Enciso’s attacking invention and directness, he does have some situations where he goes to ground too easily as he plucked a pass out of the air with excellent control before receiving possession again to flick the ball in between two defenders before going to ground.
As his dribbling and ball-carrying is paired with immaculate decision-making, Enciso has the ability to manipulate time and space as he can hold possession and carry the ball to draw markers and allow teammates to make runs off him before releasing a phenomenal pass to create an opportunity. He received possession in the wide areas, held possession for a few seconds before threading a lovely pass into the centre and continuing his run as he was unable to get on the end of a lay-off. The 17-year-old would authoritatively drive into the box, cut inside and have a shot blocked. After VAR intervention, the defender was adjudged to have handled the ball to earn Libertad a last-minute potential match-winning penalty in a Paraguayan blockbuster against Olimpia. 17-year-old, Enciso defiantly stepped up to take the penalty as opposition players tried to distract him as once it was time for him to take the penalty, he stepped up, stuttered and sent the keeper the wrong way for his 6th goal of the season to win the game.
In another big match at home to Cerro Porteno, Enciso would nearly create an opportunity in the first minute of the game, receiving possession in the left half-space to flick a perfectly weighted pass to a teammate in the nine-space as the pass was so well-weighted that the attacker would turn and nearly create a shooting opportunity for himself. The 17-year-old would then press astutely, tucking inside from the right flank to make a tackle. The 17-year-old was then pressing from the second-line which would lead to him being perfectly positioned to make an interception as he drove forward to execute a step over and skip past a defender and drive into the box and send a cross across the face of goal but none of his teammates could get on the end of it. He received possession on the right flank to cut inside and thread a pass in between two defenders to the nine-space.
He would exhibit his dribbling ability again when he received possession on the right flank to cut inside to find that his fullback was supported as he faced a 2v1 situation, turning and driving the ball to the by-line to skip over a sliding tackle as he held onto the ball before being ushered to the corner flag where he earned a foul for his team. On the counter, he received possession on the right flank to surge into the box, flick the ball past his man and square a pass to a teammate at the top of the box. Enciso was showing his ability to fill a more conventional winger role as he remained wide, stretching the pitch, receiving possession on the right flank in another 1v1 situation to skip past his man and drive to the by-line before crossing to the near post to find a teammate as the ball was deflected to the back-post for a tame header.
Out of possession, his pressing was ferocious as charged down a defender in the channels to use his body to regain possession on the right flank to skip past one defender as he went down as he was looking to beat a second defender. He would receive a Martinez pass in the channels to have a shot saved before receiving possession in his own half after a turnover to flick the ball past a defender on the half-turn before surging onto the right flank and cutting back to work a pass to a teammate. The 17-year-old received possession on the right flank to work a one-two with a teammate and cross to the back-post with his left foot for a teammate to have a header saved. He created another phenomenal high-quality opportunity when he received possession in the centre after he tucked inside from the right to skip past a man with his right foot before playing a through ball to a teammate with his left for the attacker to have a shot saved.
At home to River Plate, Enciso would have another fast start as he would receive possession in behind after a high-turnover to send a shot wide in a 1v1 with the keeper as he should have applied the finish. The 17-year-old then received possession in the left half-space to skip past his first marker before gliding in between another two defenders with the ball on the outside of his right boot as he attempted a through ball to a runner which was intercepted. Enciso then should have had an assist as he made a run from the central spaces to the left flank to receive possession as he had a poor first touch with the ball rolling over his foot before he recovered by skipping past his man and cutting inside to lob a cross to the back-post with his right foot for Ferreira to head wide from point blank range. The 17-year-old should have had a second assist, this time from the right flank, making a run into the half-space to receive possession as he skipped past a defender to drive into the box before calmly cutting back for another teammate to balloon a high-quality opportunity over the bar.
Enciso is responsible for a high-percentage of not only his team’s attacking output but also his team’s higher quality attacking output as he dropped out of the nine-space to receive possession in between the lines, allowing the ball to roll across his body drive the ball in between two defenders, using his size to shield the ball before looking to drive past another defender who attempted to clear the ball which deflected off Enciso and into another attacker who had an opportunity saved. In that situation, the 17-year-old received possession in the central areas and drove into the box as he could have had a shooting opportunity as his ability to fashion shooting opportunites for himself as another one of his assets which is transferable to a higher level.
Enciso would finally notch an assist, receiving possession with a perfectly timed run in behind which allowed him to drive into the box and square a cross for a teammate who tapped the ball into an empty net. The 17-year-old had a second assist when he burst forward on the counter-attack from his own half to engage a marker and cleverly flick a pass to a teammate who would strike past the keeper from range. He showcased his ball-carrying again, receiving possession as he tucked inside from the right flank, skipping past a defender and leaving him in a heap as he glided past another defender to drive into the box to turn and attempt to thread a through ball with his left foot which was intercepted.
Enciso has the potential to grow into a high-volume, high-efficiency attacker similar to Moussa Diaby at Bayer Leverkusen as his ability to effectively operate from both flanks as well as in the half-spaces and centre of the pitch gives him great tactical variety. His ball-carrying, ability to receive possession in between the lines and vision allow him to be a multi-functional attacker as if he plays on the wings, he can cut inside and drive to the by-line to create opportunities with his crossing or passing while in the centre, his aptitude for combination play and dribbling allow him to be a threat in the centre. Enciso is tailor-made for modern day football as his size and technique allow him to thrive in the little pockets of space in the defensive chain, be it in the half-spaces or the ten space while he has the intelligence to be a transitional player. In terms of his defensive work, he is energetic at leading the press from the central spaces while his positioning and covering of space in the second wave of the press is also intelligent as he can move inside from the wings to make tackles while also being able to cover multiple players within the same zone on the flank.
There are some areas of his game that could see improvement as his awareness of when to release the ball will improve with increased tactical training as well as more experience as he is culpable in dribbling into congested zones or not releasing the ball or taking shots when he drives into space, instead looking to beat the extra man. If he manages to develop his ability to shoot in tight spaces with little back-swing then this will add another dimension to his already immense attacking potential as he will be able to weave into space and launch shots from different angles and areas, especially from the top of the box. He has shown some potential with his left foot as he loves to switch to his left foot to play through balls as he could improve his crossing with his left foot as the ability to dribble and cross with either foot without adjusting one’s body is a facet of the game that has already proved crucial to Diaby and could be transformative for Enciso. The 17-year-old has also shown the ability to drop deep and swivel to make well-timed runs in behind from the nine-space and into the channels as he can disorient defences with this movement and create opportunities for himself or teammates. He will need to improve his finishing, especially in 1v1s as with his size and pace, he has a lot of 1v1 opportunities in his future.
The fascinating aspect of Enciso’s skillset as it is translatable to a counter-attacking team, possession-based attacking team as well as a high-energy counter-pressing team which should not leave him short of suitors when he turns 18 at the end of January. A perfect career path would be to join FC Porto before moving to Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid where his high-energy style as a multi-faceted style as an attacker would be celebrated. Teams like Manchester United under Ralf Rangnick and, as an attacker who can operate on the right or left for Arsenal would be good landing spots as he would fit well at Liverpool and Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Southampton. Obtaining a work permit should prove no issue as he has accumulated continental minutes and minutes for his country before the age of 18. Most Bundesliga and Ligue 1 teams as well as Ajax and PSV Eindhoven should also be interested as he could be the most talented teenage prospect in South America. He could be a cheaper option for Barcelona’s youth-fuelled rebuilding project under Xavi, featuring as a winger in their system. Enciso already has a high-level of talent and tactical understanding as it will be intriguing to see the player that he will grow into in the coming years.
