Did Tim Cahill just play his final Socceroos match?

Tim Cahill dodged all questions after making a gesture suggesting he may have played his last game of football in Australia's 2-0 loss to Peru at the World Cup.

Australia's Tim Cahill takes a moment after the final whistle during their final FIFA World Cup group match against Peru

Australia's Tim Cahill takes a moment after the final whistle during their final FIFA World Cup group match against Peru Source: AAP

Standing mid-pitch, Tim Cahill looked at his family in the crowd and tapped his wrist.

The end of Timmy time?

Cahill finally got some game time - 41 minutes - as Australia's World Cup campaign in Russia ended with a 2-0 loss to Peru.

Even he couldn't save the Socceroos this time.

Australia's all-time leading scorer was welcomed by rapturous applause when he charged onto Fisht Stadium in Sochi in the 53rd minute against the Peruvians.

Post game, he charged past reporters, refusing to comment.

Cahill's esteemed international career appears over; perhaps even at club level too, judging from his wrist-tapping gesture.

The 38-year-old was snubbed completely by coach Bert van Marwijk for the Socceroos' initial two group fixtures in Russia.

The non-selection of arguably the greatest-ever Socceroo caused a furore at home.

But van Marwijk, while not addressing the Cahill conundrum specifically, hinted at his reasons, saying he had no regrets with any of his selections.

"Maybe (regret) will come after a few days, a few weeks, a few months," van Marwijk said.

"But I don't regret the way we worked and the way we performed with the players.

"I know we have a squad of 23 players and I didn't change a lot.

"But that is one of the reasons that a team can grow.

"If you change a lot of times every game in organisation and in the players, you never will get a really good team - it's more coincidence (if you do)."

Cahill, 33-year-old captain Mile Jedinak and 32-year-old stalwart Mark Milligan now weigh up their futures.

Jedinak and Milligan both were pragmatic about Cahill's meagre minutes in Russia.

"The manager makes his decisions, he makes his choice and he sticks by it," Jedinak said when asked about Cahill.

"There is not a lot as a player you can do about that. The only way you can influence that is by showing him that your ready."

Milligan said critics of Cahill's non-selections were misguided.

"They're not here every day, they have no idea," Milligan said.

"You don't get a more experienced coach than Bert.

"If people know enough to be questioning him, then they know more than me."


Share
2 min read

Published

Updated


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world
Did Tim Cahill just play his final Socceroos match? | SBS News