Former Chelsea and English defender Gary Cahill has disclosed on his Facebook page that he has hung up his boots at age 36. Gary joined Chelsea in 2013 from Bolton Wanderers after they were relegated to Championship. He left Chelsea in 2019 to join Crystal Palace. Cahill who made his senior debut with Aston Villa made a total of 583 club appearances with most with Chelsea and Bolton Wanderers.
“Football is a game that has given me so much enjoyment and success and as I make the decision to hang up my boots, I can honestly say I gave it everything I had.
On his Facebook page he wrote:
“I’ve achieved things I once dreamt of, creating some incredible memories. From amazing highs like winning the Champions League and Premier League, to the privilege of captaining my country and Chelsea in an FA Cup winning team will remain with me forever. I’ve also made some fantastic friendships with people across the football world, from teammates, managers, and the unsung heroes behind the scenes, I just want to say a massive thank you.
Deciding to stop playing is not an easy one. I’ve spent 20 years training every day, putting in the work to be in the best possible shape for matchday to help the teams I’ve played for be successful. I’ve had time to consider my options and after much deliberation and reflection I feel now is the time to move on to the next stage of my career.
A special thank you must go to my amazing family who has supported me and been there every step of the way. I now have the opportunity to spend some quality time with them which is something I’m looking forward to.
Beyond that, football will always be part of who I am and what I love so this is just the end of this chapter. For me, it’s important to look forwards not backward as a new chapter in my life begins.
The English defender won 8 trophies with Chelsea in the Champions League, Premier League, F.A and Carling Cup.
Gary made his debut with the Three Lions on September 3, 2010, and was capped 61 times with 5 goals to his name.
