News Focus
- Cristian Volpato leaves Italy’s youth setup to join Australia’s senior squad for the 2026 World Cup.
- The Sassuolo forward previously turned down the Socceroos for the 2022 tournament to wait for Italy.
- He will be permanently cap-tied to Australia once he plays under manager Tony Popovic.
- Parma defender Alessandro Circati also joins the squad after a similar dual-nationality switch.
- Volpato scored two goals and provided four assists in 26 Serie A appearances this season.
Australia have won the race for Cristian Volpato’s international future. The 22-year-old attacker has accepted a place in the Socceroos’ final 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup.
Volpato currently plays for Sassuolo in Serie A. He was born in Australia but holds Italian citizenship through his parents. This dual background made him eligible for both national teams.
The forward previously represented Italy at various youth levels. He featured for the Under-21 side and hoped to earn a senior cap with the Azzurri. However, that opportunity never arrived.
In 2022, Volpato rejected a chance to join Australia for the World Cup in Qatar. He chose to wait for an Italy call-up instead. That decision did not lead to a senior appearance.
Now he joins Tony Popovic’s squad for the tournament across the USA, Canada and Mexico. Once he steps onto the pitch for Australia, he cannot switch back to Italy. FIFA rules will permanently tie him to the Socceroos.
This development delivers another setback for Italian football. The country continues to lose promising players to other nations despite developing them through youth academies.
Volpato moved to Italy in 2020 to join Roma’s youth academy. The club sold him to Sassuolo for €7.5 million in 2023. This season, he has made 26 league appearances.
He is not the only Serie A player in the Australian group. Parma defender Alessandro Circati also received a call-up. Circati was born in Italy but moved to Australia during his childhood.
The squad mixes experienced campaigners with fresh talent. They will compete in North America next summer aiming to advance beyond the group stage.