A name with South American flair like Cristaldo is a perfect fit for football – roll the r, stretch out the o, and you have a commentator’s dream.
But for former Melbourne Victory youth Christoper Cristaldo, who once looked like being capable of joining the elite in some capacity, football may have become a nightmare.
The 20-year-old’s last appearance in NPL Victoria was for Werribee City against Dandenong Thunder on May 23rd.
Now, he is currently not officially registered to any NPL club, after an attempt to swap to Victory’s crosstown rivals Melbourne City fell through due to FFV rules preventing A-League clubs in the NPL from signing players in the mid-season transfer window.
Hypothetically, the highest level of competition Cristaldo may register at in Victoria is State League One.
It’s a stark contrast to less than three years ago, when Ange Postecoglou brought on the wide-eyed 17-year-old for his A-League debut in a 2-2 draw against the Central Coast Mariners.
He led the National Youth League goalscoring charts that season, thriving in Postecoglou’s false-9 system emulated in the youth team by Darren Davies.
His form culminated in a first A-League goal in March 2013 against Perth Glory.
Despite being a star on the rise, Cristaldo seemed unable to carry the momentum into proceeding seasons.
He enjoyed a stint at Hume City before the 2014-15 A-League campaign and was made Victory’s National Youth League captain as one of the side’s more senior players, but didn’t seem to have the same impact when playing as a traditional winger in Kevin Muscat’s more conventional 4-2-3-1 system.
In that time, the likes of Joey Katebian and George Howard soared higher up the pecking order in fringe first team priorities.
It was a sign of the times, with many of the touted youngsters of yesteryear – the Jeggo brothers, Theo Markelis, Francesco Stella, Andrew Nabbout, Jesse Makarounas, Connor Pain and Jordan Brown – either moved on or struggling to cement a spot in the senior starting XI.
The same fate befell Cristaldo, as despite Victory’s confirmed inclusion in the 2015 NPL season, a combination of age restrictions and the club taking on a distinctly young group – many graduating from the NTC program – meant there was no room for the former Young Socceroo.
He signed with Werribee City for the 2015 NPL season – the connection there being his father Victor playing alongside current coach Nino Ragusa at Thomastown in the early 1990’s.
The midfielder had been one of the standout players in a tough season for the Bees, a rare attacking spark for a team with the lowest goal tally in the competition, netting four times to emerge as the club’s leading scorer.
With the opportunity arising to make another play for the top with Melbourne City, a release was granted from Galvin Park, but as time ticked on the transfer window, it is understood Cristaldo was unable to be registered.
He has since trained with the squad, but coach Joe Montemurro is unwilling to comment on the player’s position, describing the situation as a sensitive issue.
In the meantime, the name Cristaldo may remain in limbo, with the youngster’s immediate future seemingly yet to be resolved.