Games That Changed My Life: Tim Cahill

“My dad was there, shouting: ‘What a goal, Tim!’”

May 2, 1998

Millwall 1 Bournemouth 2

“The previous year, I’d left my family in Australia to try to make it as a footballer. I was 17, and all I had was a suitcase and a dream. I had nothing lined up, but I got a trial with Millwall. It was a tough place: Keith ‘Rhino’ Stevens took me out in an early training session. Later he was player-manager and gave me a debut on the season’s final day. I was on my way.”

“I started the game on the bench, but then Guus Hiddink said to me: ‘Go on, score and cause havoc’”

April 4, 2004

Sunderland 0 Millwall 1

“This was the biggest game in Millwall’s history – our chance to be in the club’s first ever FA Cup final. At Old Trafford we were underdogs against Sunderland but we were confident, and I arrived late in the box to score our winner. I ran the length of the pitch in celebration [right picture]. I saw my parents and brother in the crowd and went over to hug them. My dad was shouting: “What a goal, Tim!” It’s still one of my favourite goals, and it also brought me to the attention of the Australian national team.”

May 7, 2005

Everton 2 Newcastle 0

“All season we were battling Liverpool for a Champions League place in the top four, and going into this game we knew we had to win to finally secure it. We took the lead through David Weir, but the game was still in the balance when I scored in the 59th minute [left picture]. It was mayhem – we all knew what it meant to the club. The previous season Everton had finished 17th and sold Wayne Rooney, so no one expected us to have such a memorable campaign.”

June 12, 2006

Australia 3 Japan 1

“Being the first Australian to score at the World Cup, and helping to get our first ever win at the tournament, genuinely changed my life. I started the game on the bench, until Guus Hiddink said: ‘Go on, score and cause havoc’.” We were losing 1-0 with six minutes to go when I got a chance in the area and banged it in [middle picture]. It was an amazing feeling, but it was about to get even better: in the final minute I got the ball on the edge of the area, gave the keeper the eyes and curled it in to give us the lead [John Aloisi added a third in stoppage time]. That moment in Kaiserslautern will live with me forever.”

June 18, 2014

Australia 2 Netherlands 3

“Amid the heat and noise after my volley at the World Cup in Brazil, I thought that I should probably retire there and then! I knew it was the pinnacle; the greatest goal I’d ever score [main picture]. We’d just conceded when Ryan Mcgowan put a long ball into the box for me to run on to. I considered heading it, then decided to just hit it first time. When it came over my shoulder I drove my laces through it. Their keeper and defenders were in complete shock, while I ran off screaming at the top of my lungs. Amazing.” Tim Cahill’s autobiography Legacy is published by Harper Collins and out now