20-Year-Old Nestory Irankunda Scores Australia's Opening Goal in 2-0 World Cup Win Over Turkiye

Nestory Irankunda scored Australia's opening goal in a 2-0 victory against Turkiye at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, becoming the youngest player to score for the team at the tournament, Al Jazeera reported. The 20-year-old celebrated by punching the corner flag in tribute to former player Tim Cahill. Irankunda was born in a refugee camp in Kigoma, Tanzania, after his parents fled Burundi's civil war.

He told beIN Sports this month that his older sister was sick during the escape and his father refused to leave her behind. The 2026 World Cup, hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States and featuring 48 nations, includes at least nine players with refugee or displacement stories, Al Jazeera reported.

The UNHCR states that 117 million people are displaced worldwide, including almost 49 million children.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih stated in May that the World Cup is an ideal moment to send a message of hope to fans all over the world. Alphonso Davies was born in 2000 in Buduburam refugee camp, Ghana, after his parents fled Liberia's civil war. His family resettled in Edmonton, Canada, when he was five.

In March 2021 he became the first footballer named a UNHCR Global Goodwill Ambassador. Mohamed Toure was born in a refugee camp in Conakry, Guinea, in 2004 after his family fled an attack on their hometown in Liberia and spent 14 years waiting to be resettled. The family settled in Adelaide, Australia.

Awer Mabil was born in Kakuma refugee camp, Kenya, after his South Sudanese parents fled civil war. He was resettled in Adelaide at age ten and scored the penalty that sent Australia to the 2022 World Cup. Ermedin Demirovic was born in Germany after his father fled Bosnia during the Balkan war.