Celtic midfielder Aaron Mooy has called time on his football career as he retired with immediate effect.
The Australian international has ended his playing career as he stepped down from international and club football.
Mooy, who also played for Brighton, Melbourne City and St Mirren, has been a professional footballer for 15 years.
But the 57-time Australia cap has decided to call time on his playing career after a treble-winning season at Celtic under Ange Postecoglou.
“While it feels really sad to be leaving the game, I just feel the time is right for me. I have been so fortunate to enjoy such a great career across the last 15 years, creating some fantastic memories.
"I am delighted to finish my career on such a high with Celtic and I would like to thank all the fans for the great support they gave me during the past year - I was delighted to be part of such a memorable season.
“I hope Celtic continue to dominate the game and I wish Brendan, the new manager great success with the great group of lads at the club.
“Playing for my country is something I have loved too and of course I will miss the international set up and so many great people who are involved there.
“I have been fortunate to win a number of caps for my country and this has been really important to me - of course I wish Australia nothing but success for the future and I am sure they can get better and better.
“There are too many people to thank who have played such an important role in my career, so many managers, coaches, staff and fellow players. I have been very privileged to be part of some fantastic football environments, all created by really good people.
“My family is everything to me and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them all for the absolute support I have received from them during my career. I just want to thank them for being there for me in so many ways.
“Thank you once again to everyone who has supported me right across my career in this great game.”
Brendan Rodgers said of Mooy's decision to retire: “Clearly we are disappointed that Aaron will be retiring, however, it is something we absolutely respect. He has done so much in the game for a number of clubs and for his country and he deserves to make this decision on his own terms.
“I am delighted for Aaron that he has gone out on a real high after making such a telling contribution to Celtic last season and that, together with all his other achievements, should be a real source of pride to him.
“Club football and the international game will miss him dearly, but on behalf of everyone at Celtic I send Aaron and his family our heartfelt best wishes for the future.”
Speaking to the Socceroos website, Mooy said of his international career: “I’ve been lucky enough to live out my dreams of playing for Australia.
“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 comradery 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."
Socceroos head coach Graham Arnold commented: “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.
“I thought the same watching him in [the 2018 World Cup] 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.
“Aaron would be the first to say he was never the most vocal of players, but he had his own way of leading the group – through his actions. I think that’s something that a lot of our players will have learnt from over the years, he’s left a huge mark on this team and the individuals within it.
Football Australia chief executive James Johnson added: “When you take a moment and look at the trajectory of Aaron’s career, along with his various achievements for club and country, you see the marks of an eminently talented footballer.
“In now closing this chapter of his life, Aaron joins some illustrious company, having played consistently in the EPL, appeared at multiple [FIFA] World Cups and capped more than 50 times for his country.
“Aaron epitomises the hard-working values that underpin the Socceroos and our junior national teams, a pathway he was able to tread on his way to success in leagues across the world – a fitting example to young footballers across the country.
“On behalf of Football Australia, I’d like to thank Aaron for his contribution to the Socceroos and wish he and his family all the best in the next chapter of their lives.”
