Nestory Irankunda the face of changing Socceroos at World Cup

Nestory Irankunda, a 20-year-old dynamo, is poised to become a breakout star for the Socceroos at the World Cup, representing a new era for Australian football. As one of six players of African descent in the 26-man squad, Irankunda acknowledges the significance of young black men like himself and Mohamed Toure becoming the face of the national team.

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It's crazy because who would have thought? Now that it's happening, everybody's like 'wow'. But I never thought it would be possible, maybe one day, but not this early.

"It's crazy because who would have thought?" Irankunda told AAP. "Now that it's happening, everybody's like 'wow'. But I never thought it would be possible, maybe one day, but not this early." He idolized Tim Cahill, a player of color who achieved great success, and dreams of meeting him.

Irankunda, whose parents are from Burundi and who was born in a Tanzanian refugee camp, embodies Australia's multicultural identity. He is joined in the squad by players with heritage from Guinea, Liberia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, and South Sudan, highlighting the diverse backgrounds within the team. "It's crazy to have us all here together from African backgrounds," Irankunda said. "It's great, and it's great for the African community."

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For me, one of my people that I looked up to, I don't know if people count him as a Black person, but I'd say, Tim Cahill. To this day, I've never met him, but that's one of my biggest dreams, to meet him and have a conversation with him, because what a player, top player.

The young player is focused on his ambitions and the opportunity the World Cup presents. Having experienced trials with major clubs like Bayern Munich and Watford, he is determined to compete against the best. "That was my main focus, my main goal, to be at a World Cup with Australia and just show myself and compete against the best of the best," he stated.

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It's crazy to have us all here together from African backgrounds. It's great, and it's great for the African community.

Coach Tony Popovic faces selection decisions regarding Irankunda's role, but the player is eager to challenge perceptions of Australian football. "People have a lot of things to say about Australia and I want to prove them wrong because people don't rate us as much," Irankunda said. "We've got a big team, we've got a talented team, and it's just up to us at the end of the day how far we want to go."

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That was my main focus, my main goal, to be at a World Cup with Australia and just show myself and compete against the best of the best.