‘We have to let him grow’: Socceroos urge patience with 17-year-old ‘freak’

Most players would need to go through their full careers to compile a highlights reel as good as Nestory Irankunda’s. And he only turned 17 last month.

As Socceroos players are learning for themselves this week at training, during their first in-person brush with the A-League’s hottest young talent, this kid is not normal.

“He seems to be a freak,” said striker Mitchell Duke. Which is probably putting it mildly.

The seven goals Irankunda has scored for Adelaide United speak for themselves: they’re all bangers. Each one explodes off his right boot and into the top corner with a sense of audacious destiny – and then comes the celebration, usually a double or triple somersault, executed with almost Olympic-level precision.

“I talked to him yesterday,” said Awer Mabil, the former Reds ace and reigning Young Australian of the Year who now plays for Sparta Prague in the Czech Republic.

“I said, ‘Bro, you don’t score easy goals, do you?’ He’s like, ‘Yeah, that’s what I do.’ The kid has confidence.”

Nestory Irankunda’s highlights reel needs to be seen to be believed.Credit: YouTube

Irankunda’s potential is limitless. He already has the muscular build to hold off challenges from seasoned defenders, the pace to leave them all for dead, the self-belief to shoot from anywhere, the technique to hit the target – and the power to rip the net off the frame of the goal with his shots.

What’s missing is the mentality to match, which is partly why Socceroos boss Graham Arnold called him up for their friendly series with Ecuador, so that senior players like Mabil and Duke can take him under their wings.

While Irankunda is nominally a train-on player, he could yet see minutes on the field – and if he does get a chance, he’ll become the youngest Socceroo of all time.

It’s here where Mabil offers a simple word of caution to those already dreaming of watching Irankunda on the wing for Australia at the 2026 World Cup, or one day realising his ambition of playing for Barcelona.

Another of Nestory Irankunda’s right-foot howitzers. Credit: YouTube

A talent this rare, he argues, needs to be allowed to develop naturally, and not saddled with the burden of expectation at such a tender age – a challenge that fellow teenager Garang Kuol might now be grappling with.

“We just have to let the kid enjoy his football,” Mabil said. “He’s a baby. We have to let him just grow and be free because I think football is best played when you’re free – especially if you’re an attacker. When you have a free mind, your creativity takes over.

“I just want him to enjoy himself. Him being here now, he can sort of see what it takes to make that next step in terms of playing for your country. We have to be good examples and good leaders, show him the way and all the rest of the young kids.

“That’s what I mean by not putting pressure on kids, especially him. He just needs to be free and continue to have that mindset because when you’re not afraid, you can do many things. We’re seeing that now, it’s really exciting.”

Nestory Irankunda, 17, has scored seven goals for Adelaide United – and they’re all bangers.Credit: Adelaide United

Mabil is astounded at the quality and volume of young talent emerging out of Adelaide, his hometown. Between him, Irankunda, Riley McGree, Craig Goodwin, Brandon Borrello, Joe Gauci, Thomas Deng and Ryan Strain, almost a third of Arnold’s 26-man squad for this international window is from South Australia.

“I don’t know what they’re doing in Adelaide, but they’ve been producing a lot of players, and it’s a credit to the club, giving the players the chance to showcase their talent,” he said.

“There’s a lot of talent coming through. The A-League has done well by giving the young boys a chance, and I think that’s going to change a lot for our football as a nation. It’s very exciting for the national team.”

Just don’t expect the incumbents to step aside willingly. Duke, 32, is taking it year by year but reckons he has the miles in his legs to see out the new World Cup cycle.

Aziz Behich, also 32, is facing his biggest challenger yet for the left-back position in the form of Melbourne City young gun Jordan Bos, who Arnold recently likened to a young Scott Chipperfield – but he has no intention of giving up his spot in the national team for anyone.

“My body is great, I don’t miss training sessions, and I haven’t missed games,” said Behich, the Dundee United defender, who said he hadn’t seen much of Bos’ exploits in the A-League due to the time difference with Scotland.

“I feel great and as long as my body is still like this, I don’t see myself as old at all to be honest with you. As long as I’m still fit, I’ll put my hand up for selection every time.”

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