Socceroos midfielder Aaron Mooy has retired from international and club football with immediate effect, drawing his decorated career to a close.
Mooy, 32, earned 57 caps and scored seven goals for Australia between 2012 and 2022, appearing at two World Cups.
The former English Premier League midfielder finished his impressive club career with a short, trophy-laden stint at Scottish powerhouse Celtic under former Socceroos boss Ange Postecoglou.
“I’ve been lucky enough to live out my dreams of playing for Australia,” Mooy said in a statement on Friday.
“As a young kid, starting out in football you watch the national team on TV and imagine yourself there one day – to have lived that is something I’m truly grateful for.
“I’ve had the honour of playing alongside some of the best footballers that Australia has produced, creating lifelong friendships along the way.
“This has been a hugely difficult decision to retire, but I feel the time is right for the next generation to be given the opportunity to experience international football.
“As a group we were able to set a new bar (at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar) for the Socceroos and I believe we have the talent coming through to build upon that as work begins towards 2026.”
Mooy’s final game for Australia was December’s World Cup round-of-16 loss to Argentina, his seventh appearance in the tournament.
The quietly spoken midfielder was crucial to Australia’s qualification for, and run to the knockout stages in, Qatar.
Mooy also played an important role in qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, famously starring off the bench in Australia’s play-off against Syria.
“We saw Aaron’s qualities as a player on full display in Qatar, he was tremendous throughout the World Cup and integral to us reaching the round of 16,” Socceroos coach Graham Arnold said.
“I thought the same watching him in Russia, he was able to rise to the occasion on football’s biggest stage and show just how talented he truly is.
“A player like Aaron is a joy to coach, an exceptional talent who embodied the spirit of the Socceroos every time he took the pitch.”
Having begun his career in Europe, Mooy exploded to stardom at Melbourne City with a standout 2015-16, when he recorded 11 goals and an A-League record 20 assists.
He was subsequently signed by Manchester City and loaned to English tier-two club Huddersfield Town, earning promotion to the Premier League before signing for them permanently.
Huddersfield were relegated after two seasons in the top flight but Mooy stayed in the EPL with Brighton, moving first on loan and then permanently.
He scored nine goals and notched six assists in 96 Premier League appearances across the two clubs.
Mooy had two COVID-19 interrupted years at Chinese club Shanghai SIPG before joining Celtic and winning the Scottish title and League Cup last season.
chris1
Roar Rookie
Rogic is definitely still good enough. He would be great in the A League. I can't understand how he is being treated at WBA.
Grem
Roar Rookie
I should live in England! Never any news about our football here, but transfers like Mary Fowler to Man City is all over the news in the UK. Doesn’t make the channels here, but it does there! I guess this world class athlete can’t really compete with stories like Ben Hunt trying to leave the Dragons in a 2 state game. It is amazing. Disney + documentary on The Matildas is worth watching.
Grem
Roar Rookie
And they were paid for him!
Grem
Roar Rookie
Caballo - gooone! We have 2 import spaces available.
Garry
Roar Rookie
Rodwell & Gurd sounds good..
Grem
Roar Rookie
Donachie has gone to WU. I know you were a fan so I hope you’re not too upset! I’m becoming curious to see who our new additions will be. We have one import spot free - two if they got rid of Caballo!
Grem
Roar Rookie
And Sammy Silvera for more than a million. Off to Middlesbrough.
Grem
Roar Rookie
Should we consider making a bid for Rogic? Only 30 and at his best, he’s brilliant. He could rebuild himself in the A Leagues. Could he play his way back into The Socceroos? Would he sit next to Rodwell for half the season as they both recuperate from injuries? Inspired signing or a waste of money?
Kangas
Roar Rookie
Well played Aaron Mooy.
At work
Roar Rookie
His time with City, playing alongside Novillo and Fornaroli where they absolutely bossed defenses around the league were a joy. I admittedly struggled with him in the Socceroos team, I always felt him lumbering around the midfield wasn't a positive against premier opposition, but good luck to him and well done on a great career.
Grem
Roar Rookie
Not newsworthy either! Maybe on Channel 10 only. It is a joke.
chris1
Roar Rookie
And here we have Marco Tilio joining Celtic for 2million. He’s not an “Immortal” or a “superstar” but he’s worth double what any of our backyard sports “legends” are worth.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
Newcastle could always reappoint Ernie Merrick. The change in climate could be put down to global warming. Mooy's wife would be none the wiser.
AGO74
Roar Rookie
I don’t think so. his wife is Scottish and they are pretty comfortable up there.
Brendan
Roar Pro
Sydney FC are a champion team, but compared to the laid-back landscape of Scotland, living here in hectic Emerald City is fraught with road tolls, maddening house prices & overcrowding.
langparker
Roar Rookie
Think you hit it on the head why he’s retired now with your assessment “if he was a little quicker” chris1, that’s been my view of him for a while. Great vision, effort and spirit but after 30 most top athletes lose that yard of pace every year which makes a big difference in the top tier competitions. Always good to watch, mainly for the no nonsense way he went about his job.
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
He'll be back in Australia playing in the ALM for SFC for a last hoorah. (I just feel it).
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
#me too!
chris1
Roar Rookie
What a sad loss at such a young age really. If he was a little quicker he would have been one of our best ever. Nevertheless he was our metronome in midfield and you only realised how important he was to us when he wasnt playing.
AGO74
Roar Rookie
I guess if you are going to retire then it’s best to do it after the most successful season of your life as a key contributor to the Socceroos greatest World Cup campaign ever and a treble in Scotland. Everyone knows Mooy as a quiet and reserved character, but one of my favourite memories of him came in dying minutes of our win over Tunisia when the tension was immense. He won a tackle close to half way knocking ball over sideline from memory for a Tunisian throw in. There wasn’t an immediate risk to the team If he didn’t win the tackle, however the way he was so animated and pumped and gesturing to Arnie and the bench at just winning that tackle it showed in one moment what it meant to him to play for Australia. Legend.