5 legends who retired in the 2018/19 season

#4 Tim Cahill

Tim Cahill is arguably the best Australian player of all time

Tim Cahill might not be as decorated as the other players on this list; his best accomplishment, in club football at least, was probably his Division II title with Millwall back in 2000/01. But ask any football fan from Australia and you’ll probably find that Cahill is as big a legend Down Under as any other player to appear for the Socceroos.

Largely playing as an attacking midfielder, Cahill debuted for Australia in 2004 and helped them to win that year’s OFC Nations Cup, before playing a pivotal role in the Aussies’ first World Cup qualification for over 30 years.

The 2006 tournament turned out to be a mild success for Australia as they reached the Round of 16, but it was a huge success for Cahill, as he became the first Australian to score a World Cup goal with a brace against Japan, enhancing his reputation heavily in the process.

Cahill would play in two more World Cups – 2010 and 2014 – and despite Australia failing to make it out of the group stage in either tournament, Cahill himself managed to score in both, with his goal against the Netherlands in the 2014 edition being one of the very best goals on offer that year. With 50 goals in 108 appearances for his country, Cahill remains Australia’s all-time top goalscorer.

Despite his club achievements being overshadowed by his international ones, Everton fans will always remember his famed celebration – shadow-boxing the corner flag – fondly too, as he spent 8 seasons at Goodison Park at the peak of his career. A true cult hero, it might be a while before Australia produces another player of his calibre.