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Italian youth international makes 11th-hour World Cup bid with Australia

Italian under-21 international Cristian Volpato is switching allegiance to Australia in an 11th-hour bid to make the World Cup starting in a fortnight, the Socceroos said on Friday.

The 22-year-old attacker was born and raised in Sydney but played for Roma and now Sassuolo in Serie A.

He has represented Italy at various youth levels and reportedly turned down the opportunity to play for Australia at the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

Australia coach Tony Popovic is set to finalise his 26-man squad for the finals in North America in the coming days, and has added Volpato to a pre-World Cup training squad in Los Angeles.

“Football Australia has lodged all requisite paperwork to FIFA and is now awaiting a Change of Association Clearance from the world governing body to ratify Volpato’s decision to switch allegiance to Australia after representing Italy at youth level,” the Socceroos said.

“Football Australia has received a release letter from the Italian Football Federation. Once cleared, Volpato will be eligible to officially represent the Socceroos.”

Volpato never played for Italy’s senior national side and can therefore switch to Australia instead.

He has played 72 times for Sassuolo, scoring seven goals and providing 11 assists.

Australia launch their World Cup against Turkey on June 13, before facing co-hosts the United States and then Paraguay.

Italy failed to qualify for the finals.

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