Ling retired just four days after leading the Cats to a third flag in five years and after two seasons as skipper since replacing another revered Geelong leader Tom Harley, who was captain for the club’s 2007 and ’09 premierships.
Selwood, just 23 and remarkably already a triple Cats premiership hero in his 114 games since making his debut only five years ago, has appeared certain to be Geelong’s next skipper ever since.
And the club today confirmed the appointment.
"I grew up barracking for the Cats so... it means a lot to me," he told geelongcats.com.au.
"I'll go about my business as usual, but obviously there will be a bit more on my plate."
Jimmy Bartel will become the club's vice captain, with a leadership group of James Kelly, Harry Taylor, Steve Johnson, Corey Enright and Joel Corey.
It is the first time the mercurial Johnson has been handed an official leadership position by Geelong.
Despite Ling's retirement after 246 games, the reigning premiers retain a host of experienced stars including decorated troopers Bartel, Enright, Corey and Matthew Scarlett to work in tandem with a young skipper.
Ling had previously said he held some concerns about Selwood getting the job so young.
Ling, who has taken up a role as a commentator for the Seven Network, says he worries about too much pressure being placed on his brilliant young teammate’s shoulders - too soon in his career.
Ling said although Selwood, a natural leader and Geelong fan favourite, was the “obvious” choice, there were a couple of other senior players who could just as easily step in.
“Corey Enright’s been terrific, James Kelly - Joel Selwood is probably the obvious one,” Ling told Fairfax radio in Adelaide.
“But I get a little bit worried about putting too much on him when he’s still fairly young.
“But having known him for four or five years now, he’s the type of guy who can sort of just deal with anything and get on with playing footy and being the natural leader that he is.
“Yeah, if I had to guess I’d say it’ll be ‘Sel’, but I reckon they’ll go through a bit of a process and any one of those guys could do the job.”
Selwood made his debut in Geelong’s drought-breaking 2007 premiership-winning season and was understood to have been keen to take on a leadership role at the club straight away.
The sensational on-baller won the Cats’ Carji Greeves medal as the fairest and best player at the club in 2010.