🇦🇺 Where does Irankunda's wonder goal rank among Socceroos' best? 🤩 | OneFootball

What a moment Nestory Irankunda enjoyed for Australia on Friday in Townsville.

With his side taking on the might of the five-time world champions Brazil and all the glory that goes with it, he stepped up with a moment that will long live in Socceroos' folklore.

Users in Australia can bet on future Socceroos' action with Ladbrokes.

Some sides can be mesmerised by that famous glistening yellow jersey when they come into contact with it but Tony Popovic's men showed no signs of being overawed by the occasion.

Quite the opposite in fact.

After surviving a first half scare when Endrick had a goal ruled out for a foul in the build-up, Australia stayed in the contest until the 68th minute - and then it happened.

With a moment to savour both personally and as a nation, Irankunda curled a glorious free-kick from a difficult angle into the near top corner.

It was a moment that deserved so much more and had the nation dreaming of repeating their famous Confederations Cup success in 2001 when a Shaun Murphy goal fired them to a win over the Seleçao and the silver medal.

That was one of the great feelgood Australian football moments and this latest moment against the might of Brazil and the beat of the samba drums is right up there too.

In fact, previous to the Sporting CP man, Murphy was the only Socceroo who had ever found the net against Brazil.

Played in his favoured wing position rather than through the centre, he impressed throughout and more than deserved his moment of glory.

It was a strike that deserved more but a Brazil leveller deep into stoppage time denied him match-winner status.

"It was a good goal!" a delighted Irankunda told Channel 10 afterwards. "I've done it before but to do it again against a top team like Brazil feels amazing.

"Sometimes on the training ground, it doesn't work and I miss completely but for it to go in today felt good. I was really disappointed not to win but the goal was beautiful."

It truly was a magical moment to go into the annals of epic Australian moments in the sport.

Jimmy Mackay's 'freakish' (according to his own team-mate!) thunderbolt against South Korea in 1973 to send them to their first ever World Cup of course takes some beating.

Of course there was Tim Cahill's magnificent header against Japan in 2006 which was his country's first ever goal on the biggest stage of all.

Both goals in this summer's win over Türkiye also live long in the memory - and Irankunda even managed one of those too!

While his latest goal may 'only' have been in a friendly, tell that to the 25,440 who packed out Townsville and plenty of proud watchers across the nation.

📸 Albert Perez - 2026 Getty Images