- Julio Enciso streamed himself playing EA FC – formerly FIFA – as Brighton lost
- Some fans took a light-hearted view but others suggested it was unprofessional
- Newcastle got it wrong last summer and this season is a reality check – It’s All Kicking Off Transfer Week podcast
Injured Brighton star Julio Enciso streamed himself playing EA FC 24 to his Twitch followers on Tuesday night – rather than paying attention to his side’s 4-0 defeat at Luton.
Enciso suffered a knee injury in August and has not featured since but has returned to individual training after a second surgery in December.
Brighton were thumped 4-0 by relegation battlers Luton, with Elijah Adebayo netting a hat-trick and Chiedozie Ogbene getting in on the act.
It was a startling turnaround from the 4-1 victory Brighton recorded over them at the Amex at the start of the season and lifted Luton out of the bottom three.
While Enciso couldn’t watch the match on TV as TNT Sports weren’t showing it, he didn’t seem to be casting much of an eye or ear on his team’s fortunes as you might expect – but supporters were quick to joke he had dodged a bullet.
Julio Enciso streamed himself playing EA FC 24 on Twitch instead of keeping a close eye on updates from Brighton’s 4-0 loss at Luton
The Paraguayan has been injured since August but has returned to individual training
‘I don’t blame him,’ said one user on X, formerly Twitter.
‘Fully respect the decision tbf [to be fair],’ said another.
‘Hilarious,’ claimed one account.
However, some took a more critical stance, with one user pointing out Jose Mourinho’s comments about younger player nowadays from an interview with France Football.
‘I had to understand the difference between working with a boy like Frank Lampard who, at the age of 23, was already a man – who thought football, work, professionalism – and the new boys today, who at the age of 23 are kids,’ one user quoted.
Roberto Rojas, who was providing updates of Enciso’s progress, said that the Paraguayan eventually won 5-2 against his opponent with a team of legends and current professionals.
The 20-year-old opted for Edwin van der Sar in net, with a back four of Philipp Lahm, Paolo Maldini, Virgil van Dijk, and Selma Bacha, who plays for Lyon’s women’s team.
In midfield he selected Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde, Zico, and former Japanese women’s footballer Homare Sawa.
Enciso played himself in a front three alongside Ronaldinho and Thierry Henry as he won 5-2
Elijah Adebayo scored a hat-trick to lift Luton out of the bottom three in Premier League as they stunned Brighton
Enciso couldn’t resist putting himself in his front three, helping Ronaldinho to flank Thierry Henry.
Brighton can expect to have Enciso back in February if his recovery goes smoothly, and how they could do with a fresh injection of energy.
The Seagulls have won three of their last 16 outings in the Premier League but are still in the conversation for European football, sitting eighth in the table.
