Tim Cahill is still playing international football and still scoring goals.
Cahill scored twice in Australia’s 2-1 win over Syria in a World Cup qualifier earlier this week, to set up a play-off against Honduras for a place at the World Cup.
Of the 56 goals the midfielder scored in the Premier League during his eight years with Everton, 31 were headers. The 37-year-old netted with a trademark goal against Syria, to leave Australia just two games from qualifying for next summer’s tournament in Russia.
In the Premier League, Cahill’s goals were always followed by his boxing celebration at the corner flag…
However, the Australian captain ditched his usual celebration against Syria. Instead, he ran past the corner flag with his arms outstretched like an airplane…
50 – @Tim_Cahill becomes the 59th player in history to score 50 international goals, and the first for @Socceroos. Saviour. #AUSvSYR pic.twitter.com/4VHNFQSNoY
— OptaJason (@OptaJason) October 10, 2017
And he a made a T symbol with his hands to the crowd.
It turns out that Cahill was promoting a travel company with his celebration. The company revealed in an Instagram post that the midfielder is a “brand ambassador” for them and confirmed that the player used the goal celebration to plug their partnership.
“Did you catch @tim_cahill, our new brand ambassador, doing the TripADeal ‘T’ after he scored the winning goal last night? Congratulations Tim!’,” the Instagram post read.
Cahill also mentioned the travel company in his own Instagram post following the match.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BaEXXp7h5XW/
Every aspect of life is commercialised. As Karl Marx wrote: “The need of a constantly expanding market for its products chases the bourgeoisie over the entire surface of the globe. It must nestle everywhere, settle everywhere, establish connections everywhere.” So, it’s no surprise to see football goal celebrations follow suit and this probably won’t be the last time we see a player promoting a brand following a goal.
However, some people still found Cahill’s celebration to be in poor taste.
Tim Cahill doing sponsored celebration after such a vital goal is one of the worst things to happen in football. I presumed T stood for Tim! pic.twitter.com/f664FMKRFx
— Dean Jones (@DeanJonesSoccer) October 12, 2017
https://twitter.com/YeahTheBuijs/status/918387731331350528
https://twitter.com/TheAVFCFaithful/status/918408396814147584
This just shows Tim Cahill only cares about the $ and self promtion a goal celebration is not the time to promote a brand that’s paying you https://t.co/sz1qtIYn2V
— Michelle Lumby 🛫 (@shellstravels24) October 12, 2017
Tim Cahill changed his celebration to the plane as a promotion for a brand he’s being paid as an ambassador for lol anything for $$ #LEGACY https://t.co/HpHNKdufMW
— RegMeow 😼 (@Reggie_XP) October 12, 2017
Tim Cahill and his sponsored goal celebration can do one as far as I’m concerned. Another nail in the coffin for the ex beautiful game.
— Paolo (@DYSoulFunk) October 12, 2017
https://twitter.com/walshjamie_/status/918406651916505088
