Christian Volpato, who moved to Australia from Italy ahead of the 2026 World Cup, failed a roadside drug test in Sydney.
Published July 24, 2026
New South Wales Police have announced that Christian Volpato, who represented Australia at the World Cup, has been charged with speeding after allegedly testing positive for cocaine.
They said Volpato, 22, who switched allegiance from Italy to Australia before the World Cup, was stopped by police on Sydney’s Anzac Bridge early Friday morning when he was clocked going 50km/h (30mph) over the posted speed limit.
Recommended stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
Police said he took a street drug test and tested positive for cocaine.
Volpato played three games for the Socceroos in the recent World Cup.
The forward represented Italy at youth level but did not feature for the first team.
He began his youth career with Sydney United, Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers.
Volpato’s big break came in 2020 when Roma signed him. He moved to Sassuolo in 2023, where he established himself as a Serie A player.
His last appearance for Italy came in 2025 at Under-21 level. Volpato was previously linked with a move to Australia for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
