It might be a big statement considering some of the greats to have worn the Australian shirt over the past couple of decades but by the time his decorated international career finally comes to a halt, Cahill is likely to have compiled a record unmatched in the history of Australian football.

For the umpteenth time in his international career, the Everton midfielder was yet again the hero for the Socceroos on Wednesday night as they easily dispatched Qatar 4-0 in Brisbane to take a giant step towards qualifying for their second successive World Cup finals in South Africa in 2010.

Cahill's latest starring role for the Socceroos was even more remarkable for the fact that it was his first international appearance for eight months following injury.

But just as he scored in his last international for the Socceroos - also against Qatar in Melbourne in February - so too was the 28-year-old immediately on target upon his return, taking just nine minutes to get on the scoresheet on Wednesday night.

And by the time he won a penalty, which was converted by teammate Brett Emerton, just eight minutes later - Australia was already 2-0 up and well on its way to keeping its perfect record in the final stage of Asian qualifying for the 2010 World Cup intact.

That goal by Cahill took his record to 14 goals from just 29 matches for the Socceroos - an amazing strike rate of virtually one goal in every second game.

That kind of strike rate is considered the benchmark - even at club level - from separating the great players from the good ones and what makes Cahill's record even more remarkable is he is not a striker and in so many appearances for the Socceroos he has started the game on the bench only to come on and have a devastating impact.

Cahill's best asset is his ability to seemingly ghost into dangerous positions in the penalty box without being picked up by opposition players, not to mention his fantastic ability to score goals with his head - despite standing just 178cm.

But like all champions he also has the ability to put his stamp on a game at crucial times and often just when Australia needs him most.

While his two famous match-winning goals against Japan in the Socceroos' opening game at the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany - when he became the first Australian player ever to score at the world's biggest sporting event - will go down in history, they are far from the only times he has either saved or won games for Australia.

There was also his dramatic last-minute equaliser which saved Australia from an embarrassing defeat against Oman in the opening game of last year's Asian Cup finals in Bangkok as well as the crucial role he has played in the current qualifying campaign.

Let's just pray that the man who in just four years at international level has become his country's most valuable player can stay fit for the remaining six matches of the final stage of qualifying - which does not conclude until June next year.

For if he does there is no doubt that coach Pim Verbeek - whose record if not reputation is fast matching that of his famed predecessor Guus Hiddink - is building an attack capable of troubling most international rivals.

The continued development, not to mention dangerous height and speed of Josh Kennedy, combined with the workrate and touch of Scott McDonald and the class of Harry Kewell and Cahill will cause most opposition teams headaches and with Craig Moore restored to the heart of the defence, that end of the ground is also looking good.

But a word of caution before fans start booking accommodation for the next World Cup finals in South Africa, the next two matches - both away against Bahrain and arch-rivals Japan - fall outside of FIFA designated window for international matches meaning Verbeek may not have all his European-based stars at his disposal as clubs are not forced to release them.

And that means the possibility of playing two tough away games having to rely on A-League players, which Verbeek himself has noted still lags well behind the European leagues in producing players of international standard as proven by the fact that only Queensland skipper Moore is a certain starter from the home-based players in Verbeek's best 11.