Julio Enciso settles into a chair, picks up a tablet, and watches a video of himself as a teenager — already dreaming of playing for Paraguay. The footage, filmed around 2020 at the CARDE technical centre in Ypané, is a reminder of how far the 22-year-old forward has come. "It's really emotional," he says. "It shows how much work I was putting in, not least with the national team, and what it meant to me then — and what it means to me now."

A pathway that shaped a career

Nicknamed "La Joya" — The Jewel — Enciso came through the Paraguayan Football Association's (APF) national-team development pathway before earning a move to Ipswich Town and, ultimately, a place in the Paraguay squad that returned to the FIFA World Cup™ after a 16-year absence in 2026.

He credits the APF's work unreservedly. "They have made our lives easier as players by giving us the tools we need to fulfil our dreams. And, of course, fulfilling those dreams also helps the national team succeed," Enciso said.

APF President Robert Harrison pointed to Enciso as living proof of the association's development philosophy. "In that FIFA article about the renovation of CARDE, Julio appears as a boy playing for our U-15 national team, already dreaming of becoming a professional footballer. Years later, we saw him reach the world's top leagues and, in 2026, represent Paraguay at his first FIFA World Cup. For me, that is what all this work is about," Harrison said.

FIFA partnerships fuelling growth

The APF has invested heavily in infrastructure through the FIFA Forward Programme. Since Enciso first walked through the doors at CARDE — a project completed with FIFA Forward support — he has also seen the CARFEM (Centro de Alto Rendimiento de Fútbol Femenino) open in 2022 and the CARDIF (Centro de Alto Rendimiento de las Divisiones Formativas) completed in 2024, two further high-performance centres backed by the same programme.

The federation has also taken part in the FIFA Talent Development Scheme (TDS), helping to build the kind of structured player pathway that Enciso himself benefited from. At 17 years, one month, and 18 days old, he became the fourth-youngest player to make a senior debut for Paraguay — a milestone made possible, he argues, by the quality of his early development environment.

The next generation

Paraguay will compete in the new FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival 2026™ in Azerbaijan this October, a tournament Enciso believes will be transformative for young players. "I'd have loved to play in a tournament like that. The stakes are higher because everyone is watching — clubs, the senior national-team coach. It's a positive kind of pressure, one that takes you closer to your dream," he said.

He also welcomed the decision to stage the FIFA U-17 World Cup™ on an annual basis. "A player never stops learning, especially at that age. When tournaments like these are held regularly, players can develop in the best possible way and gain valuable experience."

His advice to those coming through the ranks is direct: "Make the most of everything that has been built and the top-class facilities available to you. Learn from all the professionals around you and listen to every coach, because you are the future of the national team."

World Cup glory and bigger ambitions

At this year's World Cup, Enciso scored in a 1-1 draw with Germany in the round of 32 before Paraguay advanced on penalties — a moment he describes simply as "the highest level a player can reach with his country."

World Cup qualification itself, he says, was "the reward for so much hard work." But the forward is not content to stop there. "I want Paraguay to always be up there among the best and to be respected as such. This is the path we must follow: we have to keep improving in every area."

Paraguay are also among the nations set to host a centenary celebration match in 2030, a prospect Enciso greets with careful optimism. "It's a dream. I don't want to look too far ahead because there is so much football to be played between now and then. But the impact would be incredible — for everyone, the officials and us as players, it would be further proof that we are on the right path."