Australia’s record scorer Cahill retires for international football

Australia’s all-time leading goal-scorer Tim Cahill have announced his retirement from international football.

The 38-year-old scored 50 international goals in 107 appearances for the Socceroos. He played for Australians when he came off the bench for their final group game against Peru at the World Cup in Russia.

"Today's the day that I'm officially hanging up my boots on my international career with the Socceroos," Cahill tweeted.

"No words can describe what it has meant to represent my country. Massive thank you to everyone for the support throughout all my years wearing the Australian badge."

Cahill, born in Sydney to a Samoan mother, started his international career playing for Western Samoa under-20s and only became a Socceroo in 2004 after an intense lobbying campaign to world body FIFA.

Today’s the day that I’m officially hanging up my boots on my international career with the Socceroos.
No words can describe what it has meant to represent my country. Massive thank you to everyone for the support throughout all my years wearing the Australian badge. pic.twitter.com/gqnM1HWA7S

— TIM CAHILL (@Tim_Cahill) July 17, 2018

Two years later in Germany, he became the first Australian to net a goal at the World Cup, going to score in two further tournaments in 2010 and 2014.

In 2007, he also became the first Australian to score at an Asian Cup, and he helped the Socceroos win the Asian title for the first time in 2015.

Before his stint at City, Cahill spent 14 years in England with Millwall and top-flight outfit Everton, scoring more than 100 goals, before signing for the New York Red Bulls.