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Former Italy U21 Volpato Joins Socceroos Ahead of World Cup

5/29/2026

Summary

Volpato Joins Socceroos

Australia will add former Italy under-21 midfielder Cristian Volpato to the Socceroos after he applied to switch allegiance.
Football Australia received a release letter from the Italian FA and filed change-of-association paperwork with FIFA.
Volpato, a 22-year-old Sassuolo midfielder, will join the Los Angeles training camp before the 26-man squad is announced on Monday.
Australia opens the World Cup group stage against Turkey on 14 June in Vancouver.

Summary

Volpato Under Review

Football Australia will keep dialogue with Alessandro Volpato, the player, on medical matters while he remains on a provisional 50-player list.
Mark Bosnich said the Socceroos should not turn their backs on any eligible player.
Tony Popovic, the coach, warned that selling the jersey would signal a problem with squad cohesion.
Commentators argued that Italy’s youth-talent struggles and four-World-Cup legacy show ignoring Volpato would be short-sighted.

Summary

Volpato First Cap

Cristian Volpato is now in contention for his first senior cap for Australia in the World Cup opener against Turkey on 14 June.
He recorded 24 Serie A appearances, two goals and four assists for Sassuolo in the current campaign.
Volpato made his senior Serie A debut for AS Roma as a teenager under José Mourinho in the 2021-22 season.
Italy’s youth federation omitted him from its June friendlies against Luxembourg and Greece.

History

Historical Context

Since FIFA joined IFAB in 1913, the governing body has periodically revised eligibility rules, mirroring broader shifts such as FIBA’s allowance for players to switch national teams before age 17. The 2004 amendment that removed the golden-goal rule shows FIFA’s willingness to update statutes, paving the way for Football Australia’s 2024 clearance of Cristian Volpato to represent the Socceroos.

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Volpato Joins Socceroos

Australia will add former Italy under-21 midfielder Cristian Volpato to the Socceroos after he applied to switch allegiance.
Football Australia received a release letter from the Italian FA and filed change-of-association paperwork with FIFA.
Volpato, a 22-year-old Sassuolo midfielder, will join the Los Angeles training camp before the 26-man squad is announced on Monday.
Australia opens the World Cup group stage against Turkey on 14 June in Vancouver.

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