BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Cristian Volpato has been vaulted into Australia’s World Cup squad just days after confirming a switch of national eligibility from Italy, and four years after he declined an invitation to join the Socceroos ahead of the 2022 tournament.Coach Tony Popovic included the 22-year-old Volpato in the 26-man squad announced Monday, Australian time. He and striker Tete Yengi were among 17 players selected in a World Cup squad for the first time.Skipper Mat Ryan, with 104 international caps, and veteran Mathew Leckie were picked for a fourth World Cup, equaling the Australian record held by Tim Cahill and Mark Milligan.“A range of factors has gone into selecting this final World Cup squad,” Popovic said in a statement. “Some difficult decisions had to be made ... but it’s also a credit to all the players involved who worked extremely hard during an extended and challenging pre-camp.
“I’d like to acknowledge the players who contributed to our direct World Cup qualification but are not part of this squad.”The Sydney-born Volpato played for Italy’s Under-21 team but was eligible to make the switch to Australia under FIFA rules because he never played a competitive game for the senior Italy team. Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup being co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
