Everybody in English football was gutted to hear of Ryan Mason's retirement this week.

The ex-Tottenham man hasn't appeared since a fateful clash of heads with Gary Cahill in 2017, where he fractured his skull in a near-lifethreatening injury. Mason looked set to return one year on but a final scan saw him put his health before his passion.

The 26-year-old emotionally penned after the decision: "I've got a son and a beautiful fiancee around me, so these are the sort of things that mean more to you than football when things are put into perspective.

"The risks are just far too high - it's 100% the right decision and I'm not going to regret it.

"It's such a unique position to be retiring at 26. I am still very young and I will be passionate about whatever I choose to do and I am confident that I will be a success in it because I know I will throw myself at it and it's going to be exciting."

Ryan Mason in everybody's thoughts

It's now a case of onwards and upwards for Mason who has received the love of everybody in the footballing world with the likes of Gary Lineker, Gareth Bale and Harry Kane passing on their wishes.

Perhaps nobody deserves as much credit as Cahill, though, who has reacted with sheer class since Mason's new, writing a heartwarming tweet to the fellow belligerent of that most unfortunate of accidents.

Furthermore, ahead of Chelsea's FA Cup fixture with Hull, Cahill wrote a perfect message for Mason in his programme notes as club captain.

The segment usually serves a pre-match build-up, yet Cahill fittingly used it as column inches to commend his old England teammate.

Cahill's beautiful programme notes

"We come into a fifth round FA Cup tie against Hull on the back of a good result against West Brom on Monday, but I don't want to speak too much about the game in my notes tonight because there is something more important on my mind as I write this.

"I was devastated to hear that Ryan Mason has retired from professional football this week, I can't even imagine what he's feeling and going through, having to retire at such a young age, and when I heard the news it was heartbreaking.

"Ryan is a lovely guy. I've met him and trained alongside him with England, and it's a horrible situation.

"Challenging for the ball in the air is such a common thing and you never expect consequences like this to come from it. That is when football goes totally out of your thoughts and it becomes about making the best decision for your health.

"I want to spend my best wishes to Ryan and his family. The most important thing in life is your health, and I am sure he will now go on to be successful in whatever he choose to do next."