Official: Australia poach Volpato from Italy for 2026 World Cup | OneFootball

Australia have poached an Italy Under-21 international for the World Cup, calling up Sassuolo forward Cristian Volpato for the senior squad.

It is another blow for Italian football that one of their talents has been snapped up by another nation, especially one who represented the Azzurrini throughout various youth levels.

Volpato no longer eligible for Italy

BOLOGNA, ITALY – DECEMBER 28: Cristian Volpato of US Sassuolo during the Serie A match between Bologna FC 1909 and US Sassuolo Calcio at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium on December 28, 2025 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

Volpato was born in Australia to Italian parents and came to Italy for the Roma youth academy in January 2020.

He was sold to Sassuolo for €7.5m in the summer of 2023 and made 26 appearances for the Neroverdi this season, scoring two goals with four assists in Serie A.

It was today announced that he had been included in the final 26-man squad for Australia at the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Once he plays for Tony Popovic’s team, it means he will no longer be eligible for Italy in future, at the age of 22.

Notably, he had also been called for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but at the time had turned them down to stay on with Italy.

He never did get a senior cap for the Azzurri.

Volpato is not the only Serie A player in the Socceroos team, as Parma defender Alessandro Circati is there, having been born in Italy and moving to Australia when still young.

Australia squad for World Cup

Goalkeepers: Ryan (Levante), Izzo (Randers), Beach (Melbourne City)

Defenders: Behich (Melbourne City), Bos (Feynoord), Burgess (Swansea City), Circati (Parma), Degenek (APOEL), Geria (Albirex Niigata), Herrington (Colorado Rapids), Italiano (Grazer), Souttar (Leicester City), Trewin (New York City)

BERGAMO, ITALY – JANUARY 25: Alessandro Circati of Parma Calcio 1913 and Nicola Zalewski of Atalanta battle for possession during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and Parma Calcio 1913 at Gewiss Stadium on January 25, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Midfielders: Devlin (Heart of Midlothian), Hrustic (Heracles Almelo), Irvine (St Pauli), Metcalfe (St Pauli), Okon-Englster (Sydney), O’Neill (New York City)

Forwards: Irankunda (Watford), Leckie (Melbourne City), Mabil (Castellon), Toure (Norwich City), Velupilly (Melbourne City), Volpato (Sassuolo), Yengi (Livingston/Machida Zelvia)