Julio Enciso's trip to Ecuador to join his Paraguayan teammates took a worrying turn, the Brighton star has revealed.
He 20 year old attacker He has said in an interview that a headache attack made him fear the worst.
“My head hurts. “I almost died, I fainted on the plane,” he told Del Paraguay.
“I was helpless, I didn't eat or sleep well. At one point I got up to go to the bathroom and I felt like I was falling.”
Fortunately, a good Samaritan on board got Enciso the fluids and carbohydrates he needed.
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“A guy grabbed me and took me to the front,” he said. “He made me drink Coca Cola and a Japanese soup and that did me good.”
Enciso hopes to make a full recovery in time for Thursday's match against Ecuador, with Paraguay having just nine points from eight matches in World Cup qualifying, leaving them at risk of missing out on the American tournament in 2026.
However, there are signs that things could be changing, with a surprising 1-0 win over Brazil last time out.
Paraguay hopes to play its first World Cup since 2010, when a streak of three consecutive tournaments came to an end.
Enciso will be key to achieving that goal, as a regular starter for his country despite his young age.
Things have not been the same at club level, with Enciso struggling for minutes after an injury-marred season in 2023/24.
This legislature has only made two departures under new seagulls coach Fabián Hurzeler, both in the League Cup.
In his first campaign in 2022/23, Enciso made a name for himself as one of Brighton's scouts' next big hits, as he scored four goals in 26 Premier League appearances, including the goal of the season goal against city of manchester.
The target was also shortlisted for FIFA Puskas Awardand secured European football for Brighton for the first time in the club's history.
Enciso moved to England from Paraguayan side Libertad in 2022 in a deal worth £9.5m.