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Former Everton striker and Socceroos legend Tim Cahill has decided to retire from football after his contract with Indian Super League (ISL) club Jamshedpur FC expires at the end of the season.
Cahill will likely retire from club football without getting a proper farewell game. The 39-year-old has not played for Jamshedpur since suffering a ligament injury during their January 28 ISL game against FC Goa. Cahill is still contracted with Jamshedpur for the Super Cup but he will sit out of the squad because of his injury.
Cahill, Australia's all-time top-scorer with 50 goals, retired from international football after the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. In an interview with Optus Sport, Cahill confirmed that he's will call it quits.
"No, I’m an old man now in football years," Cahill said in an interview with Optus Sport's Premier League Today.
"I’d love to keep playing, you know 39, had a great stint for six months in India (with the ISL). But I’m interested in TV, going to start my A-Licence and spend quality time with my family and chill out for a bit.
"It was amazing to play in four big continents. I had a great career and I’m really thankful."
Cahill made only 11 appearances, mostly off the bench, for Jamshedpur this season but has been an inspirational figure for his teammates at the club. He scored just 2 goals in Jamshedpur's ISL 2018-19 campaign, where they finished fifth and missed out on the ISL semis. However, his contribution off the pitch in lifting the player morale cannot be ignored.
This has led to Cahill seriously think about taking up a coaching role after his retirement.
"I’m someone that massively respects the game and I’ll take my time to learn more," Cahill added. "Coaching is something that’s definitely going to be on the horizon."
Before Jamshedpur, Cahill was with Millwall, where he made 10 appearances. In his first stint with Millwall from 1998-2004, Cahill amassed 54 goals in 217 matches. For Everton, he raked up 56 goals in 226 games.
After his time in the Premier League, Cahill moved to the MLS, making 62 appearances for New York Red Bulls. He also had stints in the Chinese Super League with Shanghai Shenhua and Zhejiang Greentown (now in the second division). The only Australian club Cahill played for was Melbourne City, where he scored 11 goals in 28 appearances.
