Adelaide United star Nestory Irankunda and Melbourne City sensation Daniela Galic have been recognised as two of the best wonderkids in world football.
The highly rated A-Leagues duo made the annual NXGN lists across men’s and women’s football as GOAL ranked the world’s top teenage talents.
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Irankunda is preparing to make the end-of-season move to German giants Bayern having impressed in the Isuzu UTE A-League and he is on a NXGN list topped by Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and featuring the likes of Real Madrid-bound Endrick, Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain), Mathys Tel (Bayern), Arda Guler (Real Madrid) and Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United).
The teenager, who was previously named among The Guardian’s Next Generation 2023, a prestigious annual list of 60 of the best young talents in world football, holds the competition record for most goals scored by the age of 18.
He has scored 11 A-Leagues goals since debuting for Adelaide in 2021, while he has three in 19 appearances this term.
“I get excited every time he gets the ball and I’m sure everyone else does,” Reds head coach Carl Veart said following last week’s 1-0 win over Newcastle Jets.
Galic, meanwhile, has continued to go from strength to strength in the Liberty A-League.
“She will be the future of Australian football, mark my words,” said former Liberty A-League midfielder Grace Gill during the 2022 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup.
Galic played a key role in the Young Matildas reaching the semi-finals of the AFC Under-20 Women’s Asian Cup this month as Australia also qualified for this year’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup.
The 17-year-old has scored a career-high six goals domestically in 17 matches this season – just her second campaign at this level, in City’s quest for Championship honours.
The NXGN list is topped by Colombia and Real Madrid star Linda Caicedo, with Barcelona’s Vicky Lopez second.
