Fresh from becoming the youngest player to net an A-League hat-trick in Adelaide’s 4-1 rout of Western United, it was anticipated Irankunda, 18, would be among the 23 players headed to the Middle East, where the top three finishers qualify for the Olympics.
 
But, FTBL understands, Irankunda’s X-factor qualities have been overlooked by Vidmar who might come to regret leaving the youngster out should Australia fall short of securing a second successive Games qualification.
 
Thursday’s official squad announcement will be a crushing disappointment for the former Joey, widely recognised as Australian football’s most exciting attacking prospect.
 
The snub, though, might perhaps provide further fuel in the final rounds of the A-League season for Irankunda to show the national team what they’ll be missing.
 
Those who’ve got the nod include the Kuol brothers - Garang and Alou - as well as Paris FC-based attacker Mohamed Toure in a squad which features eight overseas-based players.
 
The foreign legion also features rising playmaker Adrian Segecic, loaned out to Dutch outfit FC Dordrecht by Sydney FC, Westerlo midfielder Rhys Youlley, Germany-based Jacob Italiano, Brighton goalkeeper Steven Hall and Lechia Gdańsk’s Louis D’Arrigo.
 
Sometime Socceroo Marco Tilio, loaned back to Melbourne City from Celtic, headlines the home-based contingent which is bolstered by the likes of MacArthur’s Jake Hollman, Western Sydney Wanderers’ Lachlan Brook, Central Coast’s Jacob Farrell, Newcastle defender Mark Natta, Melbourne City’s Callum Talbot and Patrick Beach,  the Sydney FC duo of Jordan Courtney-Perkins and Jake Gerdwood-Reich and the Melbourne Victory's Ryan Teague, Jordi Veladon and Nishan Velupillay.
 
Australia open their campaign against Jordan on April 15, before facing Indonesia and hosts Qatar, the top-two qualifying for the knock out stage.