{"id":192381,"date":"2025-07-16T05:53:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-16T05:53:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/16\/have-to-be-playing-world-cup-push-behind-7m-bayern-exit-as-aussie-prodigy-joins-english-side\/"},"modified":"2025-07-16T05:53:00","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T05:53:00","slug":"have-to-be-playing-world-cup-push-behind-7m-bayern-exit-as-aussie-prodigy-joins-english-side","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/16\/have-to-be-playing-world-cup-push-behind-7m-bayern-exit-as-aussie-prodigy-joins-english-side\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Have to be playing\u2019: World Cup push behind $7m Bayern exit as Aussie prodigy joins English side"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Nestory Irankunda\u2019s determination to be part of the Socceroos\u2019 2026 FIFA World Cup squad was the main reason for his desire to leave German giants Bayern Munich to join English Championship club Watford.<\/p>\n

The 19-year-old former A-League star has arrived in London ahead of a reported $A7.13m move to the Hornets, where he\u2019s set to sign a multi-year deal.<\/p>\n

Irankunda \u2013 who spent the second half of last season on loan at Swiss club Grasshoppers \u2013 has made five Socceroos appearances but has been left out of Australia\u2019s squads in the past three international windows by national coach Tony Popovic.<\/p>\n

Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer<\/a>.<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n

<\/amp-img>
Nestory Irankunda (left) battles with Bangladesh\u2019s Isa Faysal while playing for the Socceroos in June last year. Picture: Thananuwat Srirasant\/Getty Images<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cIt was a very hard decision (to leave Bayern Munich) but for me, my biggest goal is to play in a World Cup and the 2026 World Cup is just around the corner, so I have to be playing minutes and I wasn\u2019t playing (in Germany),\u201d Irankunda told Sky Sport after he landed at Heathrow Airport.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe best thing for me was to go somewhere else.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m excited and very happy with the opportunity I\u2019ve been given and just ready to get started with the team.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just going to work hard with the team once I get to the training ground and try to get a spot in the team.\u201d<\/p>\n

Irankunda said it had \u201calways been a dream\u201d of his to play in England.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Championship\u2019s also a world-class league and competition,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

<\/amp-img>
Nestory Irankunda thanks supporters after playing for the A-League All-Stars in May last year. Picture: Daniel Pockett\/Getty Images<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The former Adelaide United and A-League All-Stars winger also treasured his experience at Bayern Munich.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou learn a lot when you train with the best players in the world. I\u2019m very grateful for the opportunity I had to train with them every day, week in, week out,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom being a boy from Australia \u2026 to see top, top players like (England international striker) Harry Kane every day, and being able to train and play with them was a dream come true for me.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just happy with the opportunity I was given.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked what Watford fans could expect from him, Irankunda said he was a player that could make the \u201ccrowd go wild\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re going to expect a lot from me, being fast, someone down the right wing, running very quick and crossing the ball and scoring as well,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m pretty fast, really fast, I\u2019ve got a shot on me \u2026 I\u2019m exciting at times.\u201d<\/p>\n

Socceroos boss Popovic on Tuesday said Irankunda\u2019s move to Watford ahead of next year\u2019s World Cup was \u201cexciting news\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cHopefully, this next move can develop him further,\u201d Popovic said. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nestory Irankunda\u2019s determination to be part of the Socceroos\u2019 2026 FIFA World Cup squad was the main reason for his desire to leave German giants Bayern Munich to join English Championship club Watford. The 19-year-old former A-League star has arrived in London ahead of a reported $A7.13m move to the Hornets, where he\u2019s set to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":192382,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6807],"tags":[3894,83,1736,548,6185,85,1429,62537,22956,8021,4232,1425,528,50412,3272,2895,1427,1728,1891,62538,17658,38359,12783,1856,3150,62536,62539],"class_list":{"0":"post-192381","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leagues-cups","8":"tag-adelaide-united","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-australia-and-new-zealand","11":"tag-bayern-munich","12":"tag-daniel-pockett","13":"tag-england","14":"tag-europe","15":"tag-football-giantsadelaide","16":"tag-german-champions","17":"tag-german-giants","18":"tag-germany","19":"tag-getty-images-inc","21":"tag-heathrow-airport-ltd","22":"tag-london","23":"tag-newswire-sport","24":"tag-northern-europe","25":"tag-oceania","26":"tag-paul-kane","27":"tag-record-deal","28":"tag-right-wing","29":"tag-swiss-club","30":"tag-tony-popovic","31":"tag-united-kingdom","32":"tag-western-europe","33":"tag-world-class-league","34":"tag-world-cup-selection"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192381","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=192381"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192381\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/192382"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=192381"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=192381"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=192381"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}