Cristian Volpato: Soccer Star Tests Positive for Cocaine just days after representing Australia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 22-year-old Sassuolo midfielder was stopped twice by police for speeding in Sydney on the same night, with the second stop allegedly revealing a positive roadside drug test for cocaine.
According to reports, Volpato was first stopped at 11:05 p.m. on Thursday while driving his BMW Coupe across Sydney’s Anzac Bridge, allegedly traveling at 86-94 km/h in a 60 km/h zone. He was issued a speeding fine and allowed to continue. However, just after 1:00 a.m. on Friday, officers stopped him again in the same area, this time recording his vehicle at 109 km/h in the 60 km/h zone. A subsequent roadside drug test allegedly returned a positive indication for cocaine. A secondary oral fluid sample has been sent for laboratory confirmation, and his international driver’s license was suspended for six months. No criminal charges have been announced yet.
Cristian Volpato’s World Cup campaign came after he switched international allegiance from Italy to Australia earlier this year. Born in Sydney, he developed through local youth systems before moving to Europe as a teenager, eventually breaking into Serie A with Roma and later joining Sassuolo in 2023. He admitted in March he was still waiting for a senior Italy call-up but ultimately committed to the Socceroos after Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
During the tournament, Cristian Volpato made three appearances for Australia. He came off the bench in a 2-0 defeat to the United States, started in a goalless draw with Paraguay, and featured in the Round of 32 loss to Egypt on penalties. These latest allegations are a significant setback for the player and his national team.