Aaron Mooy reveal prompts outpouring of football tributes

Socceroos great Aaron Mooy has announced he is retiring from both international and club football, prompting a wave of tributes from appreciative Aussie fans. The 32-year-old midfielder has been a long-term fixture for the Socceroos, first donning the jersey in 2012.

Mooy parlayed his impressive form for the Socceroos into an impressive professional career, boasting Premier League stints with Manchester City, Huddersfield Town AFC and Brighton & Hove Albion FC. He also impressed for Melbourne City in the A-League, playing well enough to attract international attention.

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His 2015 season, in which he starred in the A-League and made seven appearances for the Socceroos, made his resume impossible to ignore overseas. His first appearance for Australia came with the Young Socceroos in 2009.

Mooy also feature heavily in Australia's last two FIFA World Cup campaigns, in Russia (2018) and Qatar in 2022. His international career is capped with the Socceroos' thrilling run to the top 16 last year.

The Sydneysider would then go on to play for Celtic FC, where he was a part of the club's thrilling treble of the Scottish League Cup, Scottish Cup and Scottish Premiership triumphs. Mooy said it felt like the right time to retire, making way for a new generation of players, though it had been a difficult decision to come to.

“I’ve been lucky enough to live out my dreams of playing for Australia,” Mooy said. “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. I wanted to thank my teammates, coaches and the backroom staff for all their support and guidance during my time with the Socceroos, the camaraderie amongst the group is something I’ll never forget.

“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 [in Qatar] for the Socceroos and I believe we have the talent coming through to build upon that as work begins towards 2026."

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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."

With AAP

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