Cristian Volpato to switch allegiance from Italy to Australia in time for World Cup

The Socceroos have been handed a huge boost on the eve of the World Cup with young attacker Cristian Volpato to join up with the training squad before a friendly against Mexico in Los Angeles. The 22-year-old will make a shock switch of allegiance from Italy to Australia four years after turning down the opportunity to represent the country of his birth at the tournament in Qatar. Football Australia is still awaiting confirmation from Fifa that the formalities surrounding Volpato’s change of heart can be completed before Socceroos coach Tony Popovic names his 26-player World Cup squad by 1 June. FA has lodged all requisite paperwork to Fifa and is now waiting for the governing body to ratify Volpato’s decision to switch allegiance to Australia after representing Italy at the youth level. Volpato was born and raised in Sydney and played his junior football at Sydney United 58, Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers, before moving to Italy. He represented Italy at the Under-19, Under-20 and Under-21 levels from 2022 with a last appearance in a friendly in March 2025. Cristian Volpato will switch allegiance from Italy to the Socceroos four years after snubbing an offer to join up with Australia’s World Cup squad. Photograph: Alessandro Garofalo/Reuters He snubbed multiple previous attempts to lure him across from Italy to the Socceroos, including when then head coach Graham Arnold invited him to join up with the squad ahead of the 2022 World Cup. …