Socceroos Squad Announced: Teenage Sensation Nestory Irankunda Included Despite Injury Concerns

The Socceroos coach, Graham Arnold, has dismissed any concerns over the fitness of teenage soccer prodigy Nestory Irankunda, who has been named in Australia's squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Australia is set to face Bahrain on Thursday night, with another crucial match against Indonesia on September 10 in Jakarta.

Nestory Irankunda, the 18-year-old winger, was listed among the 24-man squad announced last Friday, despite a recent injury scare during a training session with his German club, Bayern Munich. During the session, Irankunda was tackled by Joao Palhinha, leaving him in visible pain as he clutched his ankle. He was seen being transported off the field in a golf cart but later appeared to be in good condition, walking unaided from the training complex.

Coach Arnold, eager to address the media's concerns, clarified, "I spoke to Nestory yesterday, and he didn’t mention any injury. It was surprising to read those reports." He downplayed the incident, emphasizing his confidence in Irankunda's readiness for the matches.

Arnold also expressed his excitement about seeing Irankunda's development after training with world-class players at Bayern Munich. "Training with those types of players is only going to help him improve," Arnold said. "I'm really excited to see his progress, both physically and technically."

The squad selection reflects Arnold's strategic focus on wide players for the upcoming fixtures. In addition to Irankunda, the squad features several other wingers, including Awer Mabil, Craig Goodwin, Sammy Silvera, and Martin Boyle. "I've opted for more wingers this time and fewer center-forwards," Arnold explained. "For these two games, especially, we're going to need that type of wide player."

The three center-forwards selected for the squad are Mitch Duke, Kusini Yengi, and Adam Taggart. Notably, Taggart and left-back Aziz Behich are the only A-League players named, despite the new A-League season yet to start. Arnold acknowledged that their selection was based on reputation rather than current form. "They're not selected on form; they're selected on reputation. I know what great professionals they are and what they can bring to the team."

One notable omission from the squad is Cardiff City midfielder Alex Robertson, who remains eligible to play for England, Scotland, and Peru despite having played two friendlies for the Socceroos. Arnold explained Robertson's absence, stating that the player is still recovering from a severe injury and has only recently returned to match fitness. "I’d be disappointed if Robertson chose to represent another nation in the future," Arnold added, emphasizing his hope that the young talent commits to playing for Australia.