Enciso has France in his sights ahead of potential World Cup clash

The warning

According to Foot Mercato, Enciso has publicly put France on notice ahead of what could be a Round of 32 / Round of 16 meeting between the two sides. The exact wording of his comments hasn't been reproduced in full, so the precise tone — whether steely confidence or outright provocation — remains unverified. What is clear is that he said something, and he meant it to land.

Editor's note: This piece is currently single-sourced from Foot Mercato (Tier 2). Enciso's comments have not yet been independently corroborated by a second outlet or official source. Framing reflects that limitation.

Paraguay's own place in the last 16 isn't fully locked down from this source alone — but Enciso is already thinking about France, which says plenty.

Bravado or belief?

This is the question that makes the story interesting. France are one of the tournament's genuine heavyweights — the squad Didier Deschamps has assembled carries the kind of depth that makes knockout football genuinely dangerous for anyone. Paraguay, by contrast, are the side nobody outside South America is picking to go deep.

But Enciso isn't nobody. The 21-year-old has spent the last couple of seasons proving himself in the Premier League with Brighton, and he carries the kind of direct, unpredictable energy that can genuinely unsettle a high defensive line on a good day. He's not a player who bluffs. When he talks, there's usually a trick or a run to back it up.

What Paraguay would actually need

Pulling off an upset against France at a World Cup requires a very specific set of circumstances: a low block that holds shape for 90 minutes, a goalkeeper in the form of his life, and at least one moment of individual brilliance on the counter. Enciso is the most likely source of that last ingredient.

Paraguay have clearly already decided they aren't turning up just to make up the numbers. Enciso said as much. The French have been warned — reportedly.