The soccer star is at the highly rated restaurant at the top of the Rialto Tower on Collins Street, where head chef Shannon Bennett, a local celebrity in his own right, is showing Roma players how to make kangaroo loin with wild mushrooms and nasturtium leaf.

In the matching maroon tracksuits of their team, Cole and teammates Bogdan Lobont, a goalkeeper, and striker Victor Ibarbo appeared relaxed in front of the cameras before leaving Australia after their International Champions Cup matches.

When Real Madrid played Roma at the weekend the performance was so lacklustre fans resorted to throwing paper planes on to the pitch.

There were a few paper planes again at the MCG on Tuesday night, but the Roma versus Manchester City match was far more interesting, a two-all draw ending in a penalty shoot-out won by the British team.

Bennett talked up the kitchen skills of Cole, though the soccer player admitted he did not cook at home.

"Ashley's handing his resignation in for Roma, and he's coming to work for Vue De Monde; he's giving one season's notice," the chef joked.

Less praiseworthy was Cole's back pass that resulted in City's second goal of the Tuesday match, although Roma football manager Rudi Garcia said the poor quality of the MCG pitch was in some ways to blame.

Cole appeared to agree with his boss, at least in part.

"I'm not one to blame the pitches; it was a little bit bubbly but you have to deal with these kinds of things," Cole said.

"It was unfortunate thing that happened and a bad pass from me, hopefully when we go back to Rome the pitches are nice and flat."

Roma had played some good football and shown they could compete with the likes of Real Madrid and City, Cole said.

"The fluidity with the new blood that's come in, it looks good, hopefully we can take that on for the season."

The 34-year-old, who played for Arsenal, Crystal Palace and Chelsea before moving to Roma last year, said he wanted to play as many games as possible this season, but admitted "I'm not getting any younger".

The final game of the Australian leg of the cup, between Manchester City and Real Madrid, is at the MCG Friday night.