<\/p>\n
Cristian Volpato resisted the Socceroos for several years as he developed his career in Italy. <\/p>\n
Now, the 22-year-old has been thrust into Tony Popovic\u2019s World Cup squad at the last minute.<\/p>\n
\ufeffGet all the latest football news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n It is an announcement that has not sat well within some Australian football circles, but Socceroos great Robbie Slater has called for calm following Volpato\u2019s selection on Monday.<\/p>\n Volpato shocked Australian football by committing to the Socceroos on Friday, switching his allegiance from Italy.<\/p>\n Less than 72 hours later, his World Cup dream was made a reality as he was named in the 26-man squad at the expense of the popular Martin Boyle.<\/p>\n Volpato did not feature in the Socceroos\u2019 1-0 loss to Mexico on Sunday and Slater noted in an appearance on Fox Sports News that he had seen backlash on social media to the winger\u2019s last minute ascension into the squad.<\/p>\n His selection was clearly some time in the making, however, as Popovic and his assistant Paul Okon were spotted in Italy in February, watching from the stands as Volpato\u2019s Sassuolo claimed a 3-0 win over Hellas Verona.<\/p>\n The Sydney born and raised player was an unused substitute in that Serie A clash, and it was reported in the Italian media that conversations were had between the 22-year-old and the Socceroos hierarchy.<\/p>\n Premier League winner with Blackburn Rovers Slater stressed that there should be no issues with how Volpato has become a Socceroo.<\/p>\n \u201cMy message to Socceroos fans, the ones who are criticising this, always find once you\u2019ve made the decision then you\u2019re committed,\u201d Slater said.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I see Volpato as being that. Of course he was going to make the squad.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt will be interesting to see if Popovic starts him ahead of the likes of Toure, Leckie, Irankunda and a couple of the others,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n \u201cOne thing is for sure is he\u2019s in the Serie A. He didn\u2019t start all the games. He did score goals, he did have assists, he came off the bench more often than not, but he\u2019s pretty comfortably in Serie A.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t have many playing in the top five competitions.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had (Connor) Metcalfe and (Jackson) Irvine (with St Pauli in the Bundesliga) but they\u2019ve been relegated now. We\u2019ve got Maty Ryan in Spain (in La Liga with Levante), a fantastic job he did there (to avoid relegation).<\/p>\n \u201cNot a boy anymore, 22 certainly not a senior, he\u2019s at a Serie A club living his dream.<\/p>\n \u201cHe scored not that long ago. The competition only finished last week. He\u2019s ready to go.\u201d<\/p>\n READ MORE<\/b><\/p>\n Winners and Losers \u2014 Who pays price for last-ditch Socceroos U-turn; Aussie pick that\u2019s come from clouds<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Full World Cup Squad \u2014 Popovic\u2019s final call on defector revealed as brutal snub headlines Socceroos squad<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n World Cup Schedule \u2014 When do the Socceroos play every match?<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Socceroos STUNNED by Volpato switch | 01:57<\/p>\n Volpato\u2019s relationship with Australian football has been complicated.<\/p>\n The former Roma prodigy, who is now playing for Italian club Sassuolo, rejected former Socceroos boss Graham Arnold\u2019s advances ahead of the last World Cup in Qatar.<\/p>\n Volpato was making a splash as a teenager under the tutelage of legendary manager Jose Mourinho in the Italian capital at the time and instead opted to chase a place with the Azzurri rather than representing the country of his birth.<\/p>\n He proceeded to represent Italy, the nation where from where his grandparents on both sides of his family hailed, at underage level.<\/p>\n \u201cGrowing up with the 2006 (World Cup win), I had all the players on my wall. Obviously my dad, my nonno, they were all just mad crazy about the Azzurri,\u201d he told football360.com.au<\/a> earlier this year.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd obviously them being my idols, you grow up and you follow your dad or your nonno, so it\u2019s always been my dream.<\/p>\n \u201cBut with the Socceroos, I\u2019m happy and thankful for the calls they\u2019ve given to me.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I can\u2019t say whether I\u2019d want to choose one or the other right now.\u201d<\/p>\n Volpato spent time in both the Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers academies as a youngster, but he packed his bags and headed to Rome while still in high school.<\/p>\n After a successful trial with Roma, the winger signed a three-year contract with the Serie A club in January 2020.<\/p>\n Shortly after he joined Roma and Italy legend Francesco Totti\u2019s agency, confirming his status as a star on the rise.<\/p>\n His first team debut came in 2022 and he celebrated the occasion by coming off the bench to score a goal and assist another in a 3-1 win.<\/p>\n He also featured in the Europa League that season, but Volpato hit a few bumps in the road shortly after.<\/p>\n In 2023, he was sold to Sassuolo for \u20ac7.5 million (A$12.4m) – the third highest fee for an Australian player – and has not set the world on fire for the Serie A club.<\/p>\n Volpato has scored seven goals in 64 appearances for the club.<\/p>\n In the most recent season, he featured in 24 of 38 league matches due to injury and selection.<\/p>\n Socceroos rue missed chances vs. Mexico | 02:30<\/p>\n