Australia have poached an Italy Below-21 worldwide for the World Cup, calling up ahead Cristian Volpato for the senior squad.
It’s one other blow for Italian soccer that considered one of their abilities has been snapped up by one other nation, particularly one who represented the Azzurrini all through numerous youth ranges.
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Volpato now not eligible for Italy
BOLOGNA, ITALY – DECEMBER 28: Cristian Volpato of US Sassuolo in the course of the Serie A match between and US Sassuolo Calcio at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium on December 28, 2025 in Bologna, Italy. (Picture by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Pictures)
and got here to Italy for the Roma youth academy in January 2020.
He was bought to Sassuolo for €7.5m in the summertime of 2023 and made 26 appearances for the Neroverdi this season, scoring two targets with 4 assists in Serie A.
It was as we speak introduced that he had been on the World Cup within the USA, and .
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As soon as he performs for Tony Popovic’s staff, it means he’ll now not be eligible for Italy in future, on the age of twenty-two.
Notably, he had additionally been referred to as for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, however
He by no means did get a senior cap for the Azzurri.
Volpato is just not the one Serie A participant within the Socceroos staff, as Parma defender is there, having been born in Italy and transferring to Australia when nonetheless younger.
Australia squad for World Cup
Goalkeepers: Ryan (Levante), Izzo (Randers), Seashore (Melbourne Metropolis)
Defenders: (Melbourne Metropolis), Bos (Feynoord), Burgess (Swansea Metropolis), Circati (), (APOEL), (Albirex Niigata), Herrington (), Italiano (Grazer), (Leicester Metropolis), Trewin (New York Metropolis)
BERGAMO, ITALY – JANUARY 25: Alessandro Circati of 1913 and of battle for possession in the course of the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and Parma Calcio 1913 at Gewiss Stadium on January 25, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Picture by Marco Luzzani/Getty Pictures)
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Midfielders: Devlin (Coronary heart of Midlothian), Hrustic (Heracles Almelo), Irvine (St Pauli), (St Pauli), Okon-Englster (Sydney), O’Neill (New York Metropolis)
Forwards: Irankunda (Watford), (Melbourne Metropolis), Mabil (Castellon), Toure (Norwich Metropolis), Velupilly (Melbourne Metropolis), Volpato (Sassuolo), (Livingston/Machida Zelvia)