Nestory Irankunda at Bayern Munich updates: Australian rising star makes UEFA Youth League debut

Patrick Brischetto

Nestory Irankunda at Bayern Munich updates: Australian rising star makes UEFA Youth League debut image

Australian football's biggest wonderkid Nestory Irankunda has already made waves since making the move to Germany in the offseason.

After joining German giants Bayern Munich, there was debate as to whether he would be thrown into the first-team environment straight away, or put into the youth team to develop and grow at a slower pace, but he has already been given the chance to impress new manager Vincent Kompany.

He has been shown regularly training with the first team - and scoring spectacular goals Aussie fans have become used to - and recent signs are showing he may see competitive first-team involvement sooner rather than later.

Whilst it is still early days and no guarantees of his status as a first team player, it is positive signs for one of Australia's most promising youngsters.

MORE: When is the Socceroos next match? | When does the 2024-25 A-Leagues begin?

Nestory Irankunda makes UEFA Youth League debut, scores again in league

The Aussie rising star checked another milestone off of his list, returning from international duty to make his debut in the UEFA Youth League for for Bayern U-19.

He started for the team and played 71 minutes, substituted off with his team leading 2-0. 

While opponents Dinamo Zagreb scored a late goal to bring it closer, Bayern were able to leave with the win. 

He then added another league goal to his tally in a tight 3-2 loss for Bayern's second team, scoring the first goal of the game after just seven minutes; it takes his tally to three league goals in the Regionalliga season.

Nestory Irankunda earns first national team start

Irankunda earned his first-ever Socceroos' start, as Australia recorded a lacklustre 0-0 draw with Indonesia in World Cup qualifying.

The youngster had some nice creative moments in what were challenging conditions.

He had one of the game's best chances when he drove at the Indonesia defence and struck a strong shot, which cannoned off the post and away from goal.

Days earlier, he came on as a substitute in Australia's shock defeat to Bahrain.

Earlier

Aussie football fans were relieved to hear Nestory Irankunda avoided a serious injury after the attacker was on the end of a painful but accidental challenge in training.

Video footage showed Joao Palinha stepping on Irankunda's ankle as they both challenged for a 50-50; Irankunda fell to the ground and was said to have howled in pain before being carried off the pitch.

However, the updates out of the Bayern camp were positive, with journalists close to the team and sporting director Max Eberl confirming the injury was not serious.

He did miss the reserve teams second league match of the season, presumably due to lingering after effects from the challenge in training.

It's a huge plus for the teenager, who has been hugely impressive in pre-season for the Bavarians and is knocking on the door of a place in the first team squad.

In his competitive debut for the second team, he scored two goals and was named man of the match

Combining power with guile, Irankunda scored either side of half-time, while he also played a key role in the other two goals.

Take a look at the highlights below:

Earlier

In another hugely positive sign, Irankunda was named on the bench for Bayern Munich's first competitive match in the DFB-Pokal against second tier side Ulm this morning.

Whilst the 18-year-old ultimately didn't get any game time, it shows how fast Irankunda has won over those in charge in Bavaria, with even his biggest fans taken by surprise at how well he has settled into life at one of the world's biggest football clubs.

Earlier on Irankunda continued his positive pre-season run of form, this time with an assist as his side took down WSG Tirol 3-0. Irankunda came into the game to replace England legend Harry Kane, but quickly showed why he has star potential of his own. 

Nestory Irankunda is a Tanzanian-born Australian footballer who came through the ranks at his local A-League Men's side Adelaide United.

He plays primarily on the right wing, using his devastating pace and strong physical frame to get past his opponents and give them trouble; he is also one of the best natural finishes in the league, showcasing an ability to score from any angle from close range or with a thunderbolt from distance (like his outstanding free-kick against Melbourne City last season).

I am here once again to tell you that Nestory Irankunda is a special talent. He’s done this against Melbourne City today. pic.twitter.com/BQ3BDdFrNf https://t.co/VjQiFplXix

— HLTCO (@HLTCO) October 29, 2023

He has quickly become one of the A-League's most recognisable and popular players, having represented the the A-League All-Stars in 2022 and 2024.

He also became a key player for Adelaide United, with their attacking performances often hinging on the form of their young wonderkid.

How did Nestory Irankunda performed in the A-League?

Irankunda has just had his best season for Adelaide to date, scoring eight goals and grabbing six assists in 25 league games for the Reds.

He also started more games in the season than ever before, with 18 games in the starting 11 as coach Carl Veart loosened previous restrictions he placed on the youngster.

In three seasons at the Reds, he played 61 times for the first team in all competitions, scoring 16 goals and assisting eight more, with Adelaide making it to the preliminary finals in two of his three seasons at the club.

He was the equal second top scorer for Adelaide, tied with Zac Clough and only behind Hiroshi Ibusuki.

Has Nestory Irankunda played for the Socceroos?

After his breakout as an exciting young star, he was included as a train on player for Australia's 'Welcome Home' friendly at the start of 2023, but he had to wait another year to make his full debut for the Socceroos.

This finally came in the second round World Cup qualifiers against Bangladesh and Palestine, where he started and got an assist in a 2-0 win.

He then scored his first Socceroos goal against Palestine, when he converted from the spot in a 5-0 victory, pulling off his trademark acrobatic celebration.

Patrick Brischetto

Patrick Brischetto Photo

Patrick is a journalist currently based in Sydney who covered the 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 Women's World Cup for The Sporting News. He also holds a position at the Western Sydney Wanderers FC, and is slowly attempting to convince the world that the A-League is the greatest sporting competition.