Gary Cahill - International Career

International Career

Cahill was one of a number of uncapped players in Stuart Pearce's first squad as England U21 coach. He was not chosen to start the match, on 6 February 2007, against Spain. His first under-21 cap for England was the first game at the new Wembley Stadium, where he partnered Anton Ferdinand at the centre of the England defence. His final of four caps came in the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, where he made one appearance. Cahill was called up to the England squad for the match against Kazakhstan on 4 June 2009 following the withdrawal of Rio Ferdinand, but had to wait over a year for his first cap, until he came on as a second half substitute for Michael Dawson on 3 September 2010 against Bulgaria, in a 4–0 win, at Wembley Stadium. In doing so, he became the first Bolton Wanderers player to play for England since Michael Ricketts in 2002. On 29 March 2011, Cahill made his first start for the national team against Ghana in a friendly that ended 1–1.

Until he played for England he was also eligible to play for the Republic of Ireland through an Irish grandparent. However, his manager at Bolton and former Ireland international, Owen Coyle has said that Cahill only wanted to represent England.

On 2 September 2011, in his first competitive start, Cahill scored his first international goal for England against Bulgaria in the qualifying rounds of UEFA Euro 2012 in the 13th minute. In netting the opening goal, Cahill became the first Bolton Wanderers player to score for England since Ray Parry against Northern Ireland in 1959.

On 29 February 2012, he scored a goal at Wembley against Holland to make the score 1–2, with England eventually losing 2–3.

On 16 May 2012 he was named in new England manager Roy Hodgson's UEFA Euro 2012 squad. On 2 June, during a 1–0 friendly win against Belgium at Wembley, he was pushed by Belgium player Dries Mertens and collided with England goalkeeper Joe Hart, and was ruled out of Euro 2012 with a broken jaw. He was replaced by Liverpool defender Martin Kelly.