Refugee who quit Bayern to create Aussie World Cup dream

Here is the latest breaking news from around the world: Refugee who quit Bayern to create Aussie World Cup dream Figure caption, Irankunda honours Cahill after scoring Australia openerByChris McKennaBBC Sport journalistPublished43 minutes agoNestory Irankunda may have written his name into Australia football history books but he was a player already creating his own remarkable story. The 20-year-old Watford forward became the youngest scorer in the World Cup for the Socceroos when he netted their opener in a 2-0 win over Turkey in Vancouver. "It is unreal and a dream come true," Irankunda said shortly after full-time.

But it is just the latest step on an incredible journey for the once refugee who just a year ago was learning from Harry Kane at Bayern Munich. Irankunda was born in a Tanzania refugee camp in 2006 to Burundi parents who had fled their homeland due to a civil war. He was still a young child when they moved to the country he now represents on the biggest stage of world football.

The Details

Irankunda found football in Australia and eventually came through the ranks at Adelaide United in the League. After 16 goals and eight assists for the senior side, an eye-catching move to Bayern followed in 2024. Figure caption, Australia upset Turkey in World Cup openerBold decision to leave BayernThere was never a first-team appearance in Germany but there was plenty of time on the training pitch with some of the best players in the world, including England striker Kane.

Yet those lack of minutes threatened his dream. That was to play for Australia at this World Cup. He had made his debut in a World Cup qualifier in June 2024 against Bangladesh and became the second youngest scorer in the country's history when he netted against Palestine in just his second appearance.

After a loan spell at Swiss side Grasshopper last season, he had a decision to make in the summer. It wasn't an easy one when the opportunity came to move to Watford for an undisclosed fee and leave the Bundesliga giants but he needed to play if he was to get his World Cup chance having fallen out of the Australia squad. "It was a hard decision but obviously my biggest goal for me is to play at the World Cup," Irankunda told Sky Sports last summer, external.

What Experts Say

"The 2026 World Cup is around the corner and I have to play minutes, I wasn't playing minutes. "It has always been a dream of mine to play in England. "He has been called "Houdini" by team-mate Mohamed Toure and said he could have the same impact on Australia as Jude Bellingham on England.

"I've seen a lot of good players but sometimes you have a special talent and he's that," added Toure. "If he puts in the work and stays grounded I think he'll go beyond the potential many people already say he has.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.