New Zealand<\/a>. His rapid rise is fuelling growing belief that Australia\u2019s next golden generation is ready to shine on the global stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A new wave of Australian footballers is beginning to make headlines overseas, raising hopes for the Socceroos\u2019 prospects at the 2026 World Cup. Among the standout names is 19-year-old Nestory Irankunda , who has quickly settled into life in England. The winger made an instant impact on his Championship debut, assisting Luca Kjerrumgaard in a 2-1 win over QPR, before showcasing his trademark free-kick ability in back-to-back games that earned crucial points for Watford. His eye-catching strikes have not only boosted his team\u2019s early-season momentum but also rekindled memories of the stunning set-piece goals he produced as a 15-year-old at Adelaide United. Fans in England have already grown familiar with his trademark cartwheel celebration, regularly seen in the A-League and now making its way into Championship stadiums. Irankunda enters the international break full of confidence as the Socceroos prepare for their two-legged “Soccer Ashes” series against New Zealand. His rapid rise is fuelling growing belief that Australia\u2019s next golden generation is ready to shine on the global stage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":34334,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[159],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34310","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-football-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
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