Socceroos star announces new club in Michael Jackson themed dance video, Sporting Lisbon, Nestory Irankunda, UEFA Champions League
Socceroos star Nestory Irankunda and Sporting Lisbon have lent into his love of Michael Jackson in a spectacular video posted to social media announcing his official move to the club.
The Portuguese giants released the video late on Saturday evening (AEST) showing dancers performing to Michael Jackson’s Bad in a parking garage before Irankunda emerges from a car wearing a glittering Jackson glove.
He then dances with the group before the lights flicker, and he emerges in Sporting’s famous green-and-white home jersey.
Irankunda made headlines at AAMI Park earlier this year when he scored in a friendly against Curacao and, in a pre-arranged move, a photographer handed him a glittering glove and he performed a Jackson-style dance move.
He also brought out the dance moves during a photoshoot for Good Weekend in the lead-up to the World Cup.
Big clubs will often produce videos for their major signings, but most involve a player sitting on a couch or perhaps performing some tricks with a ball. To have the 20-year-old Irankunda dancing is an eye-catching way to introduce the Adelaide United product.
The video also confirms Irankunda has signed with Sporting for five years, while reports in Europe suggest his transfer from English Championship club Watford was for €16 million ($26 million) plus add-ons that could take it to €18 million ($29.5 million).
The Socceroos forward was greeted by droves of fans and media when he arrived in Lisbon last week to do his physical and finalise the move.
Irankunda has had a mercurial off-season, scoring against Turkey in the Socceroos’ 2-0 win at the FIFA World Cup, and performing strongly in the other matches as the team went out in a heart-breaking penalty shootout loss to Egypt in the round of 32.
Mentor and Socceroos teammate Awer Mabil praised Irankunda’s move to Lisbon and urged his dear friend to continue to be himself, advice he must have taken in agreeing to the MJ video.
At Sporting, Irankunda will have the chance to play in the UEFA Champions League, and in high-profile league matches against Portugal’s other leading sides, Porto and Benfica.
“It’s a very good move for him,” Mabil said after his own move home to Melbourne City.
“It’s a perfect club also for him to take that next step, and then from there on he will make a bigger step for sure.
“You are playing a game very three days, so you have to manage your body well and secondly, you might have one or two bad games, but that doesn’t mean you should change who you are.
“You just keep working hard. He will learn these things. There is much more attention now but my advice is not to change, keep being himself as that is what has got him there.”
News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
Roy Ward is a sports writer, live blogger and breaking news journalist. He’s been writing for The Age since 2010.Connect via X or email.