Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMany fans accused Volpato of only being interested in Australia once Italy, who he represented at youth level, failed to qualify for the World Cup.<\/p>\n
Volpato\u2019s Australian passport had even expired and he had to make a mad dash home to get a new one before travelling to the United States.<\/p>\n
But he insists Italy\u2019s shortcoming was not the catalyst for his decision.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me it was just \u2018I want to play for Australia\u2019,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause Italy could have called me to the World Cup\u2026 but I just chose I wanted to play for Australia. I felt like it was right. I felt like I can be myself and I can show myself here more.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for whether he was aware of the negativity towards him, the former Roma youngster said: \u201cI\u2019m human like everyone else, addicted to my phone like ninety per cent of people as well in the world\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes there\u2019s going to be stuff said about you, there\u2019s going to be good things, there\u2019s going to be bad things, but I feel like as a footballer you have just got to be resilient,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes you can use it as fuel as well and I like to use that as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another thing Volpato uses for motivation is the fact as a teenager he was cut from both Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers\u2019 academies.<\/p>\n
The snubbing from the A-League clubs made him look to the nation his grandparents migrated to Australia from – even if it meant a big gamble by his parents.<\/p>\n
\u201cGrowing up in Australia and playing for the two best academies in Sydney, I got told from both of them that, basically I\u2019m not good enough to play,\u201d he recalled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just felt like it was my time to\u2026I\u2019ve always wanted to go to Italy as a kid. So I think it came out perfectly to be honest, because then straight after, I just remember the car ride home with my dad, I was crying.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd he just said: \u2018We\u2019ll go to Italy now and we\u2019ll try it\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy mum, she sold her shop. We leased our house, we left everything just to go for a trial. Thank God I made the trial and my life changed from there. So I feel like I have to give a lot (of thanks) as well to Italy because they gave me a second opportunity.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom there, I also got picked for the Italian team first, so I just accepted and then that\u2019s basically it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>Australia’s Cristian Volpato (20) battles for the ball with Paraguay’s Diego Gomez (8) and Andres Cubas (14) during the World Cup Group D soccer match<\/span>Source: AP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAs the Socceroos prepare for their third ever World Cup knockout game, Volpato holds a fascinating link to the heartbreak of their first ever appearance beyond the group stage 20 years ago.<\/p>\n
Growing up in an Italian family, he admitted he watched the Azzurri\u2019s 1-0 win against Australia \u201cprobably like a hundred times\u201d.<\/p>\n
Volpato was in nappies as Australia\u2019s hearts collectively broke when the referee point to the penalty spot in stoppage time, but that game has strong connection to his football journey.<\/p>\n
Italy and Roma legend Francesco Totti was his agent when Volpato started out as a teenager.<\/p>\n
While Fabio Grosso, who may or may not have divided, depending on your allegiance, to win that infamous penalty, coached him at Sassuolo.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s crazy because my ex-agent was Totti who scored and then my coach is the one who won the penalty \u2013 so it\u2019s a bit\u2026you know what I mean?!\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI spoke to Grosso\u2026 he just told me just saying that he didn\u2019t even know what he was doing, he felt a bit of contact, he went down\u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re also small details that can change a game and also we have to use that in our game as well \u2013 because small details can make a big, big difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/amp-ima-video><\/p>\nMetcalfe speaks ahead of Egypt clash | 03:15<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nHOLLYWOOD HARRY<\/b><\/p>\n
Socceroos skipper Harry Souttar could soon be a documentary star as the towering centre back has been linked with a move to Wrexham.<\/p>\n
The Welsh club, who finished seventh in the Championship last season, are owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney and rose from the English fifth tier to the second tier with back-to-back-to-back promotions.<\/p>\n
Souttar\u2019s current team Leicester City were relegated from the Championship after coming down from the Premier League the season prior.<\/p>\n
The Foxes\u2019 struggles could seemingly pave the way for Souttar\u2019s move as Wrexham try to earn promotion to the Premier League to cap off a remarkable rise that has been documented in the television series \u2018Welcome to Wrexham\u2019.<\/p>\n
Souttar only played the final two games of the season for Leicester as he returned from an Achilles injury in time for the World Cup.<\/p>\n
The 27-year-old starred for the Socceroos in Qatar four years ago and has done so again this time around to make himself a hot commodity at club level.<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>Jackson Irvine and Harry Souttar of Australia, celebrate after the team’s draw but qualification for the next round in the FIFA World Cup 2026.<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nGREAT TEASES SOCCEROOS CHANGES<\/b><\/p>\n
Former Manchester United and Socceroos goalkeeper Mark Bosnich has shared his belief that Tony Popovic might have a selection surprise or two in store for Australia\u2019s Round of 32 clash with Egypt.<\/p>\n
Popovic made six changes to the starting line-up against Paraguay was widely praised as inclusions Lucas Herrington, Aziz Behich, Jackson Irvine, Connor Metcalfe, Nestory Irankunda and Cristian Volpato all impressed.<\/p>\n
But Bosnich believes there may once again be a change to Australia\u2019s starting front three.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey got it absolutely spot on against Paraguay,\u201d he said on SEN.<\/p>\n
\u201cGoing into this game I think he\u2019ll bring back Mo Toure to play up front, and I think he\u2019ll move Nestory Irankunda a little bit wider to inside left or inside right. In between the position of winger and striker.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he\u2019ll stick with Cristian Volpato, and Jordy Bos on the right side. I thought that worked really well.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has got the ability to throw in a surprise because they are privy to data that we\u2019re not.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he\u2019ll go with that formation. He might think about bringing Paul Okon-Engstler back in the midfield.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/amp-ima-video><\/p>\nSocceroos preparing to face Salah | 00:49<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nAs for Australia\u2019s chances against Egypt, Bosnich believes Saturday morning\u2019s clash could go the distance.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think they\u2019ve got a real chance of winning,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cEgypt are only two places above Australia in the world rankings. They have two undoubted stars of world football in Mohamed Salah, who has a hamstring issue.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe other one is Omar Marmoush from Manchester City. They\u2019ve got other good players as well in Emam Ashour.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is their first time in the knockout stages.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I really think Australia has good momentum, they\u2019ve got a good, young side, they\u2019re very organised.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt could possibly go all the way to penalties but I think Australia can win this.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Cristian Volpato has shed light on the moment he left Australia for Italy as a heartbroken teenager as well as the interaction with a Socceroos teammates that led him to commit to the green and gold. Speaking to reporters in a press conference for the first time this World Cup, the 22-year-old was hit with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":250732,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6807],"tags":[156],"class_list":{"0":"post-250731","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leagues-cups","8":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250731","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=250731"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250731\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/250732"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=250731"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=250731"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=250731"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}