The same qualities that make Nestory Irankunda such a beacon of hope for the Socceroos also make him a target for the teams they play against.

What do you do when you come up against a player with such rapid, line-breaking, match-winning speed, and an aggressive attitude to match?

Kick him into submission, of course. Or try to get inside his head and lure him into a scrap.

Or both.

In nine games this season for Watford, Irankunda has drawn 16 free-kicks, making him one of the most fouled players in the English Championship – which, in a way, is the ultimate mark of respect. He received the same treatment in the A-League , but didn’t always deal with it well.

That treatment is following him into the international arena – which is exactly why his teammates say they need to look out

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