Player Profile
Nestory Irankunda (/nɛstəriː ɪrənkʊndɑ/ NEST-ər-EE irən-KUN-da; Kirundi: [iɾaŋkunda]; born 9 February 2006) is a professional soccer player who plays as a winger for EFL Championship club Watford. Born a Burundian refugee in Tanzania, he plays for the Australia national team. Irankunda played youth football for Adelaide Croatia Raiders before moving to Adelaide United in 2021. He started his professional career when he signed a scholarship contract in September 2021, followed by his league debut in January 2022. He scored his first league goal the same year, becoming the second-youngest goalscorer in the competition. In March 2024, he scored his first hat-trick, becoming the second youngest to do so in Australia men's history. Irankunda joined Bayern Munich in 2024, breaking the A-League transfer record. Irankunda chose to represent Australia, whilst also being eligible for Tanzania or Burundi. At the youth level, he helped lead Australia U17 to qualification for the AFC U-17 Asian Cup. After his first call-up for the seniors in March 2023 and debut in June 2024, Irankunda became the second-youngest Australian to score for his nation in a FIFA World Cup qualification (2026) match. Irankunda was ranked by CIES Football Observatory as one of the top 100 Under-20 players worldwide in 2025.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons