List of international goals scored by Tim Cahill

A man with dark hair in a green football jersey and green shorts.
Cahill playing for Australia during the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup

Tim Cahill is an Australian former professional soccer player who played as a midfielder or forward for the Australia men's national soccer team (nicknamed the "Socceroos") from 2004 to 2018. During his international career, he scored 50 goals in 108 appearances for the side, making him the nation's men's all-time record goalscorer. He played his final game for Australia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup against Peru, and announced his retirement following the end of the tournament.[1][2] Cahill was well known for his trademark goal celebration, in which he ran to the corner of the pitch and shadowboxed the corner flag.[3]

Cahill made his debut for Australia in a friendly against South Africa in March 2004.[4] He scored his first two goals for the side in a win over Tahiti at the 2004 OFC Nations Cup.[5] In the next game of the tournament, he scored his first international hat-trick against Fiji.[6] His 12th international goal, and Australia's first in an Asian Cup, was against Oman on 8 July at the 2007 AFC Asian Cup.[7] His 29th international goal against Costa Rica on 19 November 2013 equalled fellow Australian Damian Mori's record,[8] which he surpassed on 5 March 2014 with two goals in a friendly against Ecuador.[9] During a 4–0 win over Bangladesh on 17 November 2015 in a 2018 World Cup second round qualifier, he scored the first three goals of the match, marking his second and final international hat-trick.[10] Excluding those two hat-tricks, Cahill scored twice in an international match on ten occasions.

During his international career, Cahill scored five goals against AFC rivals Japan, more than he scored against any other country.[11] Two of these goals were at the 2006 World Cup, which were also the first goals scored by Australia at any World Cup.[12] He also scored against Serbia at the 2010 World Cup[13] and against both Chile and the Netherlands at the 2014 World Cup.[14][15] His volleyed goal against the Netherlands was subsequently nominated for the 2014 FIFA Puskás Award, an award given to the player who scored the "most beautiful" goal of the calendar year.[16]

On 10 October 2017, Cahill scored both goals in a 2–1 win over Syria during a 2018 World Cup fourth round qualifier. The second of these was Cahill's 50th and final international goal,[17] making him the 59th man to score 50 international goals.[18] During his career, Cahill scored six goals at three Asian Cups (2007, 2011, 2015) and six goals at one OFC Nations Cup (2004).[11] Thirteen of Cahill's 50 international goals were scored in friendlies, all of them against nations from each of the six confederations.[19]

  1. ^ "2018 FIFA World Cup – Peru–Australia". FIFA.com. 26 June 2018. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  2. ^ "Tim Cahill retires from international football". USA Today. Associated Press. 17 July 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  3. ^ Sharwood, Ant (18 November 2018). "A Tribute To Tim Cahill From The Tormented Corner Flags Of The World". 10 Daily. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
  4. ^ "Australia 1–0 South Africa". BBC Sport. 30 March 2004. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  5. ^ "Australia sinks Tahiti". Football Federation Samoa. 31 May 2004. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  6. ^ "Cahill leads Fiji rout". ABC. 3 June 2015. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  7. ^ "Another priceless Cahill goal keeps Socceroos afloat". Soccerway. 9 July 2007. Archived from the original on 18 November 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  8. ^ "Tim Cahill sets his sights on breaking Socceroos goal-scoring record". ABC. 20 November 2013. Archived from the original on 31 October 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  9. ^ "Socceroo record-breaker Tim Cahill: Defeat nothing to be ashamed of". Goal.com. 6 March 2014. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  10. ^ Duerden, John (17 November 2015). "Cahill hat trick inspires Australia to 4–0 win in Bangladesh". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  11. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference rsssf was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ "Australia 3–1 Japan". BBC Sport. 12 June 2006. Archived from the original on 26 September 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  13. ^ "Australia win but come up short". FIFA.com. 23 June 2010. Archived from the original on 18 May 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  14. ^ "Sanchez stars as Chile overcome Australia". FIFA.com. 13 June 2014. Archived from the original on 23 June 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  15. ^ "2014 FIFA World Cup – Matches – Australia–Netherlands". FIFA.com. 18 June 2014. Archived from the original on 20 June 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  16. ^ "Tim Cahill wondergoal nominated for Puskas Award". Goal.com. 13 November 2015. Archived from the original on 12 November 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  17. ^ "Australia 2–1 Syria AET". BBC Sport. 10 October 2017. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  18. ^ Wright, Joe (10 October 2017). "'Cahill is just a freak' – Postecoglou amazed by Australia star's heroics in win over Syria". Goal.com. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  19. ^ "Seven facts that confirm Tim Cahill is the greatest goalscorer Australia's ever produced". Fox Sports (Australia). 23 January 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2015.