Cristian Volpato, the 22-year-old winger who switched allegiance from Italy to Australia, has opened up about the rejections he faced from Australian football academies as a teenager. Speaking ahead of the Socceroos' World Cup clash against Egypt, Volpato revealed that at age 16, he was told by two academies that he was 'not good enough to play.'
'I got told from both of them that basically I'm not good enough to play,' Volpato said. 'I always wanted to go to Italy as a kid, so I think it [worked] out perfectly to be honest because then straight after, I just remember the car ride home with my dad. I was crying. And he just says: 'Don't worry, we'll go to Italy now and we'll try it.''
From Rejection to Roma Academy
Volpato's mother sold her shop to move with him to Italy, where he successfully trialed for Roma's academy. 'Thank God I made the trial and my life changed from there,' he said. 'I feel like I have to give a lot as well to Italy because they gave me a second opportunity.' His career in Italy saw him become a youth international for Italy and eventually earn a move to Sassuolo, where he played under former Italy defender Fabio Grosso.
Grosso, who infamously won the controversial penalty that eliminated Australia from the 2006 World Cup, coached Volpato at Sassuolo before taking the Fiorentina job this month. Volpato's former agent was Francesco Totti, who scored that penalty. 'My ex-agent was Totti, who scored, and then my coach is the one who won the penalty so it's a bit like … you know what I mean?' Volpato said, struggling to explain the coincidence.
Decision to Join the Socceroos
Volpato made his first start for the Socceroos against Paraguay in Dallas, looking dangerous down the right flank. His inclusion in the World Cup squad was a surprise, especially as his Australian passport had expired, requiring a last-minute dash to Sydney. 'Thank God, and I'm thankful to the people at the passport place who helped me get it quickly,' he said.
The decision to switch allegiances came in late May after a match between his club and Parma, where Socceroos defender Alessandro Circati plays. 'Something clicked and my heart said: 'Just go, I think you belong there,'' Volpato said. 'I didn't want to come being 50-50, if I wanted to come it's because I wanted to come and I felt it was right.'
Online Trolling and Fan Support
Before the switch, Volpato faced online trolling from Socceroos fans who felt he had neglected Australia. 'I'm human like everyone else, I'm addicted to my phone like 90% of the people as well in the world,' he said. 'There's going to be good things [said about you], there's going to be bad things, but I feel like as a footballer, you've just got to be resilient, and sometimes you can use it as fuel as well.'
Now, Socceroos fans have a chant for him, declaring him 'one of our own.' Volpato's family sent him videos of the singing, which helped validate his decision. 'I felt like it was right,' he said. 'I felt like I can be myself, and I can show myself here more.'
Lessons from 2006
Volpato has watched the 2006 match 'like a hundred times' and sees lessons for the current Socceroos as they seek their first World Cup knockout victory. 'They are also small details that can change a game,' he said. 'We have to use that in our game as well, because small details can make a big, big difference.'
