Gigi Buffon, Italy and the making of Socceroos sta...

Article excerpt

Alessandro Circati's unlikely path to becoming a defensive cornerstone for Australia's World Cup team involved years of sacrifice and a pivotal decision to represent the Socceroos over Italy. The center-back, who trained under legendary goalkeeper Gigi Buffon in Italy's youth system, spent much of his career in lower divisions before earning his breakthrough. Now, as Australia prepares for its biggest matches, Circati faces his most significant test yet, proving he made the right choice in choosing international football over remaining in his homeland's pipeline.