Bayern Munich-bound Nestory Irankunda has been handed a first Socceroos call-up as head coach Graham Arnold named an extended 25-man squad for Australia’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Bangladesh and Palestine. One-time wunderkind Daniel Arzani is among a host of other young Socceroos to also be included in the squad, as Arnold turns to fresh attacking talents with Australia already assured of reaching the final phase of World Cup qualification.
Irankunda has lit up the A-League Men with Adelaide United over the past two seasons but has not been part of a Socceroos squad since being invited to join as a train-on player without making a debut in March last year. The 18-year-old was overlooked for the Olyroos’ U23 Asian Cup squad earlier this year and revealed last week that he was still open to playing for another country.
“He obviously wasn’t selected with the Olyroos, but his reaction after that was very good,” Arnold said when revealing the squad on Wednesday. “He’s got the quality, he’s got the ability, and now it’s time for him to show it.”
Irankunda is also eligible to play for Tanzania and Burundi and conceded last week that he would consider a move to one of those teams were he not added to an Australian squad soon, while adding “it’s a dream of mine to play for the Socceroos” when speaking after the A-League Men’s All-Stars thumped Newcastle United 8-0.
“Look, I was surprised [by those comments],” Arnold said. “But the major point of that was the fact that he said his dream was to play with the Socceroos. When I spoke to him last week, that was his dream, and his dream will be fulfilled.”
Arzani is in line to earn his first Socceroos cap in almost six years after returning to form with Melbourne Victory this season. The 25-year-old has not played for Australia since the 2018 after a move to Europe was hampered by injury including a torn ACL in his debut appearance for Scottish giants Celtic. Arzani returned to Australia in 2022 to play with Macarthur but has thrived under head coach Tony Popovic since moving to the Victory.
“He’s had a very good season,” Arnold said. “I think Tony Popovic has got the best out of him and you can see his work rate defensively has improved out of sight. What I have been impressed with is his final ball or his final pass, his end product. That has stepped up a level, which is great.”
Dual-eligible defender Alessandro Circati has been recalled after earning a first and only cap in a friendly against New Zealand in October 2023 but then being left out of the Asian Cup squad. The central defender has been a regular starter for Parma this season, which secured promotion to the Italian top flight as Serie B champions.
Irankunda and Circati will become tied to the Socceroos if called into action to play in the World Cup qualifiers against Bangladesh on 6 June or Palestine on 11 June. But Arnold said he would not hand the pair playing time purely to lock in their futures with Australia.
“I would never force anyone to play for the nation unless they really want it,” Arnold said. “I’ve had the conversations with Nestory and he wants that emblem, he wants that badge on his heart.”
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Towering centre-back Harry Souttar has been included in the squad despite limited playing time with Leicester City this season, while Jackson Irvine and Connor Metcalfe arrive after earning promotion to Germany’s Bundesliga with club side St. Pauli.
Socceroos captain and first-choice goalkeeper Mat Ryan will be rested for the qualifiers, with Aston Villa’s Joe Gauci, Western Sydney’s Lawrence Thomas and Melbourne Victory’s Paul Izzo the three shot-stoppers included. Craig Goodwin, Riley McGree, Aiden O’Neill, Marco Tilio and Brandon Borrello will miss due to injury.
Socceroos squad:
Goalkeepers: Joe Gauci, Paul Izzo*, Lawrence Thomas. Defenders: Aziz Behich, Jordy Bos, Cameron Burgess, Alessandro Circati, Gethin Jones, Kye Rowles, Harry Souttar, Ryan Strain. Midfielders: Daniel Arzani, Keanu Baccus, Cammy Devlin, Ajdin Hrustic, Jackson Irvine, Connor Metcalfe, Josh Nisbet. Forwards: Martin Boyle, Mitchell Duke, Nestory Irankunda*, Mat Leckie, Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, Adam Taggart, Kusini Yengi. (*denotes uncapped)
Fixtures:
Bangladesh v Australia – Thursday 6 June, 4.45pm local / 8.45pm AEST; Bashundhara Kings Arena, Dhaka
Australia v Palestine – Tuesday 11 June, 8.05pm AWST / 10.05pm AEST; HBF Park, Perth
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