Cristian Volpato's Socceroos future in doubt

Cristian Volpato faces a fresh threat to his international career after New South Wales police confirmed that a secondary test taken at the roadside also came back positive for cocaine.

The Sassuolo forward was stopped on the Anzac Bridge in Sydney, his home city, on 1 September, clocked at 109km/h in a 60km/h zone. A breath test for alcohol was negative, but police said the roadside reading for cocaine was not. He was fined $722 and, according to Corriere dello Sport, that fine closes the matter as far as Australian law is concerned.

Volpato has denied knowingly taking the substance, and Sassuolo said tests carried out after his return to Italy — urine and blood samples taken with the player's consent — all came back negative. That leaves the case resting on the roadside result rather than any subsequent examination.

Football Australia is not bound by the police fine and can still act under its own disciplinary code. The federation said it is now verifying the reported result.

«Football Australia has been made aware of information concerning a reported secondary oral test result relating to one of our players. We are currently seeking independent verification,».

Football Australia has given no timeline for when that verification will be complete. Its statement, issued through the federation's media office, addressed only how the process would be handled.

«The matter is being managed in accordance with Football Australia’s established protocols. To protect the integrity of this process and ensure procedural fairness, we will not comment further».

Volpato, 22, qualified for Australia through his parents after growing up in Sydney, moved to Roma's academy in 2020 and joined Sassuolo in 2023. He switched allegiance from Italy to Australia only in June 2026, days before the World Cup, and went on to win four caps, three of them at the tournament. This season he has started well for Sassuolo — three Serie A appearances and a goal, plus another goal in two Coppa Italia matches — form that a suspension from international duty would not affect at club level, though it could yet cost him his place with the Socceroos.