![\"Graham](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/9ef21a26b7111a14d0a6fcd26c23f51f.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nCristian Volpato says he could feel in his heart it was “time to come home” to the Socceroos, after finally defecting from Italy to play for his country of birth at a World Cup.<\/p>\n
Sassuolo attacker Volpato is set to make his Socceroos debut against Switzerland on Saturday (5am Sunday AEST) at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.<\/p>\n
The 22-year-old stunned Australian football when he switched his allegiance last week, after the Italy youth international previously wanted to wait for a senior call-up from the Azzurri.<\/p>\n
Volpato has not spoken to media since, but a video interview released by Football Australia on Friday indicated the turning point was the prospect of playing in this year’s World Cup, which Italy did not qualify for.<\/p>\n
“Obviously, playing in a World Cup for your nation is something unreal,” Volpato said.<\/p>\n
“Playing for Italy also was good and amazing.<\/p>\n
“But maybe 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.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Volpato rejected a call from previous Socceroos coach Graham Arnold (pictured) to be a part of Australia’s 2022 World Cup squad. (Getty Images\/FIDA: Mohamed Farag\u00a0)<\/p>\n
“Something \u2014 I don’t know \u2014 in my heart just said, ‘I think it’s time to come home.'”<\/p>\n
As an 18-year-old at Roma, Volpato knocked back Graham Arnold’s pitch to join Australia’s 2022 World Cup squad, then this March said he was waiting for a call-up from Italy’s senior team, before his change of heart.<\/p>\n
“I’m Italian and I’m Australian, so it’s actually been a big decision that’s always been in my head 24\/7 for quite a while,” Volpato said.<\/p>\n
“It’s really hard because it’s like people want you to choose something, one or the other.<\/p>\n
“But, at the end of the day, a lot of Australians were brought up being both \u2014 being something else and Australian and obviously you don’t want to choose one or the other.<\/p>\n
“But 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 \u2014 Aussie.”<\/p>\n
Volpato spent a long time talking with Popovic \u2014 who made it clear he wouldn’t “beg” him to declare for Australia \u2014 and close friend Alessandro Circati about his decision.<\/p>\n
Sassuolo and Circati’s Parma played on the last day of the Serie A season.<\/p>\n
“He [Circati] was trying to convince me, and I was like, alright, I’m gonna come, I’m gonna come,” Volpato said.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/675e6d4aeb04afd21a6983deb83795c3.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
Volpato’s close friend, Socceroos defender Alessandro Circati (pictured), played a key role in his return to the fold. (AAP Image\/Lukas Coch)<\/p>\n
On Friday, Popovic declared Volpato “fit and available” to face Switzerland and expected him to get minutes, after the attacker arrived in camp too late to play Mexico.<\/p>\n
Popovic said Volpato was looking his best since joining camp, having needed to get up to speed as his conditioning was behind other players.<\/p>\n
Midfielder Connor Metcalfe batted away a question regarding whether Volpato’s late change of allegiance had been an issue within the squad.<\/p>\n