Cristian Volpato makes Australia switch from Italy ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026
(Courtesy :Â Getty)
The midfielder has decided to represent Australia.
On the eve of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Cristian Volpato will complete an incredible switch to the Socceroos. The Serie A star is scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles soon in preparation for the processing of his eligibility swap from Italy to Australia.
Cristian Volpato is expected to arrive in Los Angeles on Saturday morning local time, which coincides with the Socceroos’ final friendly match against Mexico before Tony Popovic selects his final team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Although the 22-year-old’s availability for that match is unknown, it is thought that there won’t be any delays in his eligibility change that would jeopardise his potential inclusion in the tournament’s final 26-player roster, as Football Australia received a release letter from the Italian Football Federation endorsing the switch.
Cristian Volpato set to represent Australia at 2026 World Cup
Just under four years after declining the chance to be a member of Graham Arnold’s squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the attacker would most likely be arriving late, assuming he would be included in the World Cup squad.
Popovic and assistant coach Paul Okon met Cristian Volpato at his club, Sassuolo, in February to talk about his future in Green and Gold after Volpato’s team made overtures that he was “interested in a discussion about playing for Australia.”
Additionally, even though Popovic refused to sell the young man the shirt in accordance with his long-standing policy and Volpato later told local media that he was “waiting for Italy,” that exchange would appear to have set the stage for a change of allegiance.
Volpato, who was born and grew up in the west of Sydney and spent time in both the Western Sydney Wanderers and Sydney FC youth academies, has played for Italy’s junior national teams since 2022. He made his debut for the Italian U19S not long after joining Roma’s youth ranks in Serie A.
Which club does Cristian Volpato play for?
Italian side Sassuolo.
Why can he switch to the Australian national team?
He was born in Australia.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.