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Sports1h ago

Australia World Cup star Volpato faces speeding, cocaine charges

Bell summary

Cristian Volpato, an Australian World Cup footballer who switched from Italy, has been charged with speeding and tested positive for cocaine following a traffic stop on Sydney's Anzac Bridge early Friday morning. The 22-year-old forward made three appearances for Australia at the World Cup.

The full story

Australian footballer Cristian Volpato faces legal charges after a traffic incident in Sydney. Police stopped the 22-year-old on Anzac Bridge early Friday morning, alleging he was travelling 50 kilometres per hour above the speed limit. A roadside drug test administered at the scene returned a positive result for cocaine, according to New South Wales state police.

Volpato's international career has spanned two nations. He represented Italy at youth levels, including an appearance for the under-21 team in 2025, but never played for Italy's senior squad. He switched his allegiance to Australia ahead of the 2026 World Cup and earned three caps for the Socceroos at the latest tournament.

The forward's club career began in Australian youth football with Sydney United, Sydney FC, and Western Sydney Wanderers before Roma signed him in 2020. He subsequently moved to Italian club Sassuolo in 2023, where he became an established Serie A player.

Mentioned in this story
RomaSassuoloSydney UnitedSydney FCWestern Sydney Wanderers

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Written by Bell Data Intelligence · based on reporting by Al Jazeera.Read the original ↗
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