Paying homage to Socceroos great Tim Cahill has become a World Cup tradition for Australia

By: Ben Kule, The Associated Press Posted: 3:08 PM CDT Tuesday, Jun. 16, 2026

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Twenty years ago, when Tim Cahill scored a late equalizer for Australia in its opening match against Japan at the 2006 World Cup, he ran directly to the corner of the field for a shadow boxing match with the corner flag.

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Cahill’s celebration in the 3-1 victory has since become something of a tradition for the Australians at the World Cup.

Months after Cahill’s retirement from soccer in 2019, Sam Kerr replicated the celebration in France at the Women’s World Cup during a match against Italy.

FILE - Australia's Tim Cahill celebrates at the corner flag after he scored his side's first goal during their World Cup Group F soccer match against Japan in Kaiserslautern, Germany, June 12, 2006. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)

Kerr, then a budding star, would go on to reach the semifinals with the Matildas at the 2023 World Cup, co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand. In 2022, Kerr surpassed Cahill as Australia’s all-time leading scorer.

Now, another young Australian is adding his own chapter to that lineage.

When 20-year-old Nestory Irankunda became the youngest World Cup scorer in the nation’s history, with a goal in the Socceroos’ 2-0 upset victory over Turkey on Saturday night, he paid tribute to the man who inspired so many Socceroos and Australian fans before him.

The young winger sprinted straight to the corner flag and threw a series of punches in a recreation of Cahill’s iconic celebration.

Like Cahill and Kerr before him, Irankunda has developed a signature of his own, known for backflips and Michael Jackson dance moves to celebrate goals. Post-goal swagger has become synonymous with Irankunda’s identity.

“Tim Cahill was my biggest inspiration in Australian football, and I look up to him,” Irankunda said when asked about his celebration. “I look up to him and I want to be like him one day and I’m really really proud of myself to get the goal.”

Irankunda began his professional career in Australia, spending three seasons with Adelaide United before moving to Europe. In 2025, he made a permanent move to English club Watford.

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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup