Paraguay’s Julio Enciso suffers injury one week before World Cup opener vs. USMNT

Paraguay star attacker Julio Enciso was taken off on a stretcher in tears less than a week before his side’s World Cup opener against the USMNT.

The 22-year-old was taken off in the 25^th minute of Friday’s four-goal victory over Nicaragua, Paraguay’s final warm-up match ahead of the finals.

Paraguay head coach Gustavo Alfaro said the Strasbourg player would undergo tests on the injury and that he remained “hopeful” the injury was an impact one and not a muscular injury.

“Julio suffered two simultaneous injuries; a tight hamstring from impact and then on his waist, which affected his quadriceps area,” Alfaro said after the game.

“He got scared and that’s why he came off.”

Enciso was in tears as he was taken off on a stretcher (Christian Alvarenga/Getty Images)

Alfaro added: “When he took the first hit, he signaled to me and I told him to come off. He replied that it was loosening up, but then he took another blow to the waist and that’s when he felt the injury.

“We hope Julio is alright and he can be ready to return for the opener.”

Enciso scored 12 goals this season for French club Strasbourg, having previously made 57 appearances in England’s Premier League across spells at Brighton & Hove Albion and Ipswich Town.

The versatile forward has scored four times in 31 Paraguay appearances.

Paraguay take on USMNT at SoFi Stadium on Friday, June 12, in their World Cup opener ahead of playing Turkey seven days later, on June 19, and concluding the group stage against Australia on June 25.