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Can Australia win the World Cup at the upcoming North America tournament? One young player certainly thinks so.
Nestory Irankunda, the 20-year-old Australian forward currently playing for Watford in the English Championship (second division), has made a stunning claim.
The British Daily Mail reported on this story, highlighting the belief of the rising star. Born to Burundian parents who fled war, Irankunda was raised in a refugee camp in Tanzania before moving to Perth, Australia, as an infant. He joined Adelaide United, then moved to Bayern Munich at age 18, and now plays for Watford, where his profile is rising fast.
In a video interview, Irankunda, with a deep voice beyond his years, confidently stated why he believes Australia can win: “We have a talented, strong team with young players who have performed at the top level.” He specifically mentioned Mohamed Toure, the 22-year-old Guinean-born Norwich forward (also in the English second division), as a key asset. “We can go all the way in the World Cup,” he declared.
Australia coach Graham Arnold (note: the original article said “ポポビッチ監督” which refers to the then-Australia coach? Actually at the time of writing, Australia coach was Graham Arnold, but the article mentions Popovic? Wait, the original Japanese says “ポポビッチ監督” – that’s Tony Popovic, who became Australia coach in late 2024. So I should keep that. Let me re-check: The original says “また、ポポビッチ監督も「若手に有望な選手がそろった」と手応えを感じているようだ。” So it’s Tony Popovic. I’ll use his name.
Popovic has also expressed confidence, saying the team is full of promising young players.
Of course, considering the odds, such a bold claim might seem far-fetched, but Irankunda’s conviction is unwavering.
Australia will begin their training camp in Florida, then move to Los Angeles for a friendly against Mexico before heading to their base camp in Oakland, California, for final preparations. In the group stage, they face Turkey, the host United States, and Paraguay.
