SAN DIEGO, California - Cristian Volpato says that "something in his heart," as well as the chance to play in a FIFA World Cup, spurred his decision to make his shock switch from Italy to Australia.
Volpato, 22, stunned Australian football when it was announced late last Friday that he was set to make a World Cup-eve switch from the Azzurri to the Socceroos; flying into Los Angeles the next day and watching from the Rose Bowl stands as his new teammates fell to a 1-0 defeat against Mexico. He was then named in Australia's 26-player squad for the World Cup, joining Tete Yengi as one of two uncapped members.
The Sydney-born attacker initially moved to Italy as a 17-year-old in 2020, to join AS Roma's academy, and, after debuting for I Giallorossi's senior side under José Mourinho, he began representing the country's youth sides -- featuring at under-19, under-20, and under-21 levels. He famously declined a spot in Graham Arnold's squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, with the then Socceroos coach saying he had made multiple calls to sway the youngster in vain.
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However, after receiving word from Volpato's camp that the attacker was "interested in a discussion about playing for Australia," coach Tony Popovic and assistant Paul Okon visited the former Sydney United junior at his current club side Sassuolo in February of this year. And while Volpato did say after that summit that he was still "waiting for Italy," the Socceroos ended up getting their man in the months that followed.
"Obviously, playing in a World Cup for your nation is something unreal," Volpato told Football Australia's website. "Playing for Italy was also good and amazing. But I think, when I was 18, maybe I was a bit too young, and maybe I was a bit too scared to make the change straight away. So maybe I was in my comfort zone a bit, playing for Italy. Really, something, I don't know, in my heart just said I think it's time to come home.
While Socceroos defender Alessandro Circati, another player who has opted to represent Australia over Italy, said that he never doubted his friend would end up in Green and Gold, Volpato said the decision had come from a constant and difficult process of reflecting on his identity.
"Obviously, everyone knows I'm Italian, and I'm Australian," Volpato said. "It's actually been a big decision that's always been on my head 24/7, for quite a while. It's really hard because people want you to choose something, one or the other.
"At the end of the day, a lot of Australians were brought up being both -- being something else and Australian. Obviously, you don't want to choose one or the other. It's been hard and, obviously, I do feel Australian, so it felt really good coming in, being brought in by the boys, and speaking English, Aussie [in camp].
"Like what [Popovic] says in the press conferences, he doesn't beg you to come. I wanted it. He's an unreal coach, I've been learning from him for the past couple of days, and I'm really shocked about how good he is."
Now, rather than watching the World Cup from home, as Italy will be doing for the third successive tournament, Volpato will be a part of the Australian squad that will face Türkiye, co-hosts the United States, and Paraguay in Group D.
"It's been a long time talking with the coach," Volpato said. "And even some of the boys, like Circati. It definitely does [feel surreal] to see the green and gold on me."
A senior international debut, meanwhile, could come as soon as Saturday, with Popovic indicating in his-pre game remarks that the attacker was in line to receive some minutes despite still needing to bring his conditioning up.
"He's been a bit behind with his fitness, but he looked quite good today; probably the best he's looked, I'd say, in terms of free, in terms of his movement," Popovic said. "So if everything's okay tomorrow, I'm sure he'll get some game time.
"We've just got to get him fit. He hasn't played a lot of football, and he had eight to nine days off before he joined us. So, if I compare him to the group, he's probably at the bottom in terms of his conditioning right now. But he's working hard, he's trying to get up to speed, and we've seen some good inroads in the last couple of days."
