Nemanja Matic has wished his former Chelsea teammate Gary Cahill a happy retirement on social media.
Matic posted a heartfelt message on Instagram in regards to the Stamford Bridge servant’s decision to hang up his boots entirely.
Cahill called time on a stellar and perhaps underrated career earlier in the week, where he spent most of his best days in South West London.
Classy Cahill
The defender joined Chelsea from Bolton Wanderers in the 2012 January transfer window for a mere £7m.
That price would eventually transpire to be one of the bargains of the decade.
Across seven-and-a-half seasons, he lifted two Premier League titles, the Champions League, the Europa League, a pair of FA Cups and a League Cup.
He was also named in three separate PFA Team of the Years, in 2013/14, 2014/15 and 2016/17.
His bond with John Terry at the back was the bed-rock for several different successful Chelsea sides.
Cahill stepped up in the absence of Terry in the 2012 Champions League final, helping the Blues to their first ever conquest in the competition.
Five-years later, the centre-back once again stood in for Terry, but as the club captain.
Goodbye to Gary
Duties as the skipper only lasted a few more campaigns though, with Chelsea releasing Cahill in the summer of 2019.
Crystal Palace snapped up the ex-England international, before he joined Bournemouth in 2021.
The Vitality Stadium would be Cahill’s last calling in football.
An outpour of emotion was the response to his retirement, largely stemming from the Chelsea family.
“Gary Cahill is one of the best people I have met during my career. I wish you happy retirement Gary, you are a TOP man,” wrote Matic, who played with the 37-year-old 129 times as a Blue.
We wish you all the best, Gary, thanks for the memories.