Sydney, Jul 17 (IANS): Australia's leading World Cup and all-time goal-scorer Tim Cahill announced his retirement from international football on Tuesday.

The 38-year-old played in four World Cups with the country's national team scoring five goals, reports Xinhua news agency.

In his career, Cahill totalled 50 goals for Australia to become the leading all-time goal-scorer for the side.

"Today's the day that I'm officially hanging up my boots on my international career with the Socceroos," Cahill said on Twitter.

"No words can describe what it has meant to represent my country," he added.

Cahill also played for Everton Football Club in the English Premier League and for the Shanghai Shenhua in the Chinese Super League, amongst other club appearances.

A number of Cahill's goals came at crucial moments in Australia's previous World Cup campaigns, gaining him the status of a national icon.

Cahill's double in 2006 against Japan made him the first Australian ever to score a goal at a World Cup.

There has been no announcement whether he intends to continue at the club level, having played recently for Australian club Melbourne City and second-tier English football club Millwall.