Some football moments feel sudden to the rest of the world. A goal. A headline. A record. A replay shown again and again. But for Adelaide United fans, Nestor Irankunda’s historic World Cup moment has been years in the making. We saw it all in red first.
Now, after becoming the youngest ever Socceroo to score at a FIFA World Cup, Nestor’s story is being told to a global audience. For those who watched him come through Adelaide United, it feels like the world is simply catching up.
Adelaide United Senior Men’s Coach Airton Andrioli, who helped bring Nestor into the Club’s youth program, said he was not surprised to see the former Red rise to the moment.
Image: Nestor playing for Adelaide United’s NPL Reserves side in May 2021
“To be honest, I’m not surprised,” Airton told Seven’s Tom Wilson. “I always had a lot of belief in him at a time when many people had doubts. I felt like Nestor had something very special. He had that belief in himself that he could go all the way, and I’m so proud of the way he has grown and developed, maturing as a player and as a person.”
Born in a Tanzanian refugee camp after his parents fled civil war in Burundi, Nestor arrived in Australia as an infant before eventually settling in Adelaide. It was here, in South Australia, that his football story began to take shape.
From Adelaide Croatia Raiders, where he played up age groups and turned heads well before his teenage years were finished, a brief training stint with the FSA NTC program, to then straight into Adelaide United’s youth setup, Nestor’s rise moved very quickly.
By September 2021, he had signed a scholarship contract with Adelaide United. By January 2022, Carl Veart gave Nestor his A-League debut at just 15. A few weeks later, he announced himself with a stoppage-time free kick against Newcastle Jets that felt instantly like the arrival of something different.
For Airton, those early years were about more than talent.
Image: Nestor making his Adelaide United debut against Melbourne Victory in January, 2022
“I feel like it was a blessing to find him at that moment and bring him into that environment,” Airton said.
“At that time, he needed a little bit of structure. We had some difficult moments with him, ups and downs, because he is so demanding of himself and always wants to do so well. I think we got him at the right time and gave him that little bit of structure and discipline he needed, but the rest is all credit to him and to everyone else who played a part in his development.”
That was always part of the excitement. Nestor never looked like a young player content to simply be involved. He wanted to decide games. He wanted the moment.
Adelaide United fans saw it in the late goals against Central Coast Mariners and Perth Glory. They saw it at AAMI Park, when he lashed a rocket into the top corner against Melbourne Victory. They saw it in Perth, when he rescued a wild 4-4 draw in the 99th minute. They saw it in that iconic free kick against Melbourne City at Coopers Stadium. They saw it again when he scored a hat-trick against Western United – the youngest player to do so in the A-League Men’s era.
Every time, there was the same feeling that something might happen.
“Everything happened very quickly, and with that, expectations and pressure went up,” Airton said. “He was the type of player who didn’t just want to score the winning goal; he wanted to score a hat-trick in every game. I always saw that as something that, if you could channel it in the right direction and help him understand it’s not always going to go his way, then the sky was the limit for him.”
That is why his World Cup goal felt so familiar to those who watched him grow.
The stage was bigger, but the finish was Nestor. The movement, the touch, the courage to try something difficult in a defining moment – it was all there.
For Adelaide United, the pride is in the journey as much as the goal. Nestor was given a platform, backed through the tough moments, and challenged to grow.
To Reds fans, he will always be Adelaide’s Star Boy. Now, he is also a World Cup record holder, a Socceroo on the biggest stage, and proof of what South Australian talent can become when given a genuine pathway.
For Airton, that pride extends beyond one player.
“We have something special going here,” Airton said. “People understand and love the game of football. I think we understand what it takes to give young players an opportunity, and for that reason I feel proud to be part of this club.
“We hope we can continue to provide those opportunities, so these kids can reach their dreams and goals for the future.”
Nestor Irankunda’s story is still only just beginning. But for Adelaide United fans, this chapter will always feel special. Because before the world saw him score at a World Cup, we saw him here. And we always knew.
Hear more from Airton Andrioli and Nestor’s story in Channel Seven News Adelaide tonight.
