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🇵🇾 Paraguay /Culture & Society

Julio Enciso Happily Receives Art-Filled Shirt Painted by Guairá's Ignacio Villalba

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Paraguayan footballer Julio Enciso happily received a custom-painted shirt from young artist Ignacio Villalba.
  • The shirt depicts Enciso's career milestones, including his time at Libertad, Brighton, Ipswich Town, and Racing de Estrasburgo, as well as his wife, Melissa Cardona.
  • Villalba spent a year creating the artwork, and Enciso, in turn, gifted the artist an autographed jersey from his club.

Paraguayan footballer Julio Enciso recently received a unique and deeply personal gift: a custom-painted shirt created by the young artist Ignacio Villalba from Guairá. The artwork is a tribute to Enciso's career and his personal life, showcasing Villalba's dedication and artistic talent.

This shirt I painted from May 2025. That is, I had to work a whole year to be able to give it to him.

· Ignacio VillalbaDescribing the extensive time and effort invested in creating the artwork.

Villalba, a 20-year-old artist from Félix Pérez Cardozo, traveled to Asunción to present the shirt to Enciso, who plays for Racing de Estrasburgo. The shirt meticulously illustrates Enciso's journey, starting from his early days at Club Libertad, moving through his time at Brighton and Ipswich Town, and culminating in his current role in France. It also prominently features his wife, Melissa Cardona, recognizing her as a source of strength.

"This shirt I painted from May 2025. That is, I had to work a whole year to be able to give it to him," Villalba shared. He explained that the design also incorporates details of Enciso's wedding day. Enciso expressed his admiration for the artwork, asking Villalba how he achieved such detail. Villalba responded, "Just as you play football, Julio, it comes naturally to me."

Just as you play football, Julio, it comes naturally to me.

· Ignacio VillalbaResponding to Enciso's admiration for his artistic skill.

The exchange was warm and appreciative. Enciso welcomed Villalba and his mother with kindness, and both were visibly impressed by the shirt. As a token of his gratitude, Enciso gifted Villalba an autographed Racing de Estrasburgo jersey he had worn during a Conference League match. Villalba also prepared a special painting for Melissa Cardona, featuring her favorite Paraguayan dish, mbeju, and her favorite Colombian dish, bandeja paisa, as a thank you for her help in facilitating the meeting.

I want to give you this for your ticket.

· Julio EncisoAn anecdote shared by Villalba about Enciso's generosity at the end of their meeting.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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