8 Male Football Players who Dared to Come Out As Gay [2023 Update]

Contents:

• JAKE DANIELS BE FIRST UK MALE FOOTBALLER TO E OUT AS GAY SCE 1990
• JAKE DANIELS: BLACKPOOL FOOTBALLER OUT AS GAY
• WHY THERE ARE STILL NO OPENLY GAY FOOTBALLERS THE PREMIER LEAGUE
• AT LEAST 20 FOOTBALLERS PREMIER LEAGUE AND CHAMPNSHIP ARE GAY BUT THEY'RE AAID TO E OUT SAYS EX-CLUB BOSS
• PREMIER LEAGUE FOOTBALLERS OPENLY GAY RELATNSHIP AMID WORLD CUP NTROVERSY
• WHY 'S STILL DIFFICULT TO BE MALE, GAY AND PLAY FOOTBALL
• GAY FOOTBALL PLAYER UK: WHO ARE THEY?
• THE GAY FOOTBALLER: WHY FANS WANTED A UK PLAYER TO E OUT
• GAY PREMIER LEAGUE FOOTBALLER 'VERY LIKELY' TO E OUT NEXT YEAR, SAYS JT FASHANU'S NIECE
• JAKE DANIELS: BLACKPOOL FORWARD BE UK'S FIRST ACTIVE MALE PROFSNAL FOOTBALLER TO E OUT PUBLICLY AS GAY
• THE MOST FAMO GAY FOOTBALLERS IN THE MORN GAME
• 8 MALE FOOTBALL PLAYERS WHO DARED TO COME OUT AS GAY
• JAKE DANIELS: BLACKPOOL FOOTBALLER, 17, OUT, BEG ONLY OPENLY GAY MALE PROFSNAL FOOTBALLER BRA
• HERE ARE EIGHT OUT AND PROUD MALE GAY FOOTBALLERS
• A-LEAGUE FOOTBALLER JOSH CAVALLO OUT PUBLICLY AS GAY: 'I'M TIRED OF THIS DOUBLE LIFE'
• EVRA: THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO GAY PLAYERS AT EVERY FOOTBALL CLUB

JAKE DANIELS BE FIRST UK MALE FOOTBALLER TO E OUT AS GAY SCE 1990

The Blackpool forward Jake Daniels has end s of silence wh men’s football to bee the first player the UK to e out as gay sce Jt Fashanu 1990. Photograph: Pl Dennis/TGS Photo/ShutterstockDaniels’s revelatn is a strikg landmark that when men’s football is more engaged wh social issu than any recent time, but still unable to ce progrs LGBTQ reprentatn wh the year Alai Uned’s Josh Cavallo beme the only male top-flight profsnal footballer the world to e out as gay, but others are yet to follow. In six months the men’s World Cup will be played Qatar, where homosexualy is illegal, and Cavallo revealed to the Guardian he would be “sred” to play at the tournament, the pnacle of world English football specifilly, the shadow of the talented and unfulfilled Fashanu still lgers over the game.

The England ternatnal me out at the end of his reer and was to take his own life eight years later, Fashanu, Jt’s niece, who ns a charable foundatn his name, said that Daniels’s cisn would “e as a huge fort to the many footballers at all levels of the game still secretly livg as gay and who still feel unable to e out”.

Media ptn, WATCH: 'I am ready to be myself' - Jake DanielsJake Daniels is the first profsnal footballer the UK men's game for more than 30 years to e out as gay while still playg. "Before Jake, Josh Cavallo - who plays for Alai Uned Atralia - was the only openly gay top-flight male profsnal footballer the world, havg e out last do 'g out' mean?

JAKE DANIELS: BLACKPOOL FOOTBALLER OUT AS GAY

Comg out of the closet, often shortened to g out, is when a person shar wh others that they are lbian, gay, bi and/or trans (LGBT) out is different for everyone and n take some time to get to a pot where someone feels fortable and nfint enough to tell other is this important?

WHY THERE ARE STILL NO OPENLY GAY FOOTBALLERS THE PREMIER LEAGUE

Only four male profsnal football players who have played the UK have shared that they were gay - Thomas Beattie, Jt Fashanu, Thomas Hzlsperger and Robbie Jake Daniels, only Jt Fashanu revealed he was gay whilst he was still playg football 1990. The other three shared that they were gay after retirg om after g out Jt Fashanu suffered om homophobic bullyg and harassment before he died do LGBTQ+ stand for? The + is an clive symbol to mean 'and others' to clu people of all ptn, WATCH: Gay footballers talk about their experienc the game (June 2020)Thomas Beattie, who was a former youth player for English club Hull Cy, said that he felt that he uldn't announce that he was gay while still playg: "I lerally felt like I had to sacrifice one of the two: who I am, or the sport I loved, " he there are now chari and anisatns that mpaign to make football more clive and a safe place for the LGBTQ+ muny.

"To e out publicly as the first openly gay player men's profsnal football the UK the last 30 years tak urage. Speakg about how g out will change his life Daniels said: "Of urse I am aware that there will be a reactn to this and some of will be homophobic, maybe a stadium and on social media. As the World Cup go on a untry where homosexualy is illegal, many global football fans are havg to reckon wh the sports' soccer remas one of the most popular sports around the world, very few players have been able to e out and enjoy a succsful reer afterwards.

Gay players face prsure om teammat, ownership, ach, and fans over their are some of the men who have e out, fightg those stereotyp, and pavg the way for LGBTQ+ athlet who e after them.

AT LEAST 20 FOOTBALLERS PREMIER LEAGUE AND CHAMPNSHIP ARE GAY BUT THEY'RE AAID TO E OUT SAYS EX-CLUB BOSS

He me out 2011, and won the seventh season of Swedish realy show Let's Dance, beg the first out gay person to w. In 2014, he beme Bra's hight-profile out, gay player, and was the first out, gay male player to play at Wembley.

Rogers me out as gay 2013, beg the first out gay man to pete a top North Amerin pro sports league when he played for the LA Galaxy that same year. Fifa’s U-turn over the OneLove armband this week reflects a wir lack of support for gay players Brish football.

PREMIER LEAGUE FOOTBALLERS OPENLY GAY RELATNSHIP AMID WORLD CUP NTROVERSY

Nearly 25 years after Jt Fashanu took his own life, followg years of homophobic abe, Brish football still has not had another openly gay player the top flight. The armband was never much of a gture, but would have been a small act of fiance at the tournament beg award to Qatar, where homosexualy is punishable by imprisonment and some s, ath.

“Pathetic, ” said Blackpool forward Jake Daniels, the only out gay player the English league, on Instagram after hearg the news.

Sce Fashanu’s ath, there have been untls iativ to stamp out homophobia the stands and support gay footballers. Former footballer Clarke Carlisle, a proment spokman for player welfare, said eight Premier League players had told him they were gay. Consir the se of (heterosexual) Graeme Le Sx, who played for Chelsea and England the 1990s and 2000s and was brand “gay” for admtg he read The Guardian.

WHY 'S STILL DIFFICULT TO BE MALE, GAY AND PLAY FOOTBALL

Fans tnted him wh homophobic chants and Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler famoly waggled his backsi at Le Sx durg a match. The clubs and the FA have ma efforts to improve the culture wh iativ such as Kick It Out, which mpaigns agast discrimatn and Football v Homophobia, backed by the FA, which offers support to fans, grassroots teams and top-level clubs. Even where men’s sport has had one or two high-profile gay players, as wh Gareth Thomas gby unn, they rema outliers.

GAY FOOTBALL PLAYER UK: WHO ARE THEY?

At least 20 footballers Premier League and Champnship are gay but they're aaid to e out says ex-club bossOpenly gay Leeds Uned director David Haigh says players nfid him - and he believ clubs uld benef mercially if stars e outDavid Haigh durg his time at Leeds UnedAt least 20 football stars are gay and “aaid” to e out, a top club’s ex-director claims. He was openly gay durg a spell as Leeds Uned MD 2013-14 and says many homosexual players nfid him as a rult. He spoke out after Belgium fenr Carl Hoefkens told how he had played wh two Premier League footballers who were gay but publicly ‘ the closet’.

Mr Haigh was openly gay wh board members and fans at Elland Road, and says many gay players nfid him as a rult. Dad-of-two Hoefkens, 39, who played for Stoke and Wt Brom om, told Belgian newspaper De Zondag: “I played alongsi three gay footballers, cludg one who was a genuely big name.

” Mr Haigh was ntacted by gay players om different top flight clubs, but adms was difficult for them to go public about their sexualy.

THE GAY FOOTBALLER: WHY FANS WANTED A UK PLAYER TO E OUT

” But he do believe certa untri ‘own upon’ gay relatnships and so club ownership, and sponsors, uld be a problem. Now, has been revealed that two Premier League teammat are a gay an exclive story by The Sun, the two Premier League footballers are reportedly open about beg a gay relatnship, at least as far as the drsg room go.

Earlier this month, the Qatari ambassador to the UK had warned same-sex upl not to kiss public if they will travel to watch the World, World Cup ambassador Khalid Salman ed outrage last week after sayg that beg gay is tantamount to havg "damage the md. This is why the possibily of havg two active Premier League players speak up about beg gay is such an important topic for the LGBTQ+ muny at the moment. There are mours about other gay players, but remas to be seen if they will e out publicly while still nversatns about the topic will surely ntue to the World Cup, pecially wh thoands of spectators flockg to Qatar to enjoy the event.

Media ptn, Newsround speaks to a young gay footballer about his experienc g out, along wh pro footballer Anton Hysén, one of the few openly gay players the game. But the wrer of the show, Shn Duggan, said that was impossible this time bee of the lack of gay players the game: "It's que sad that 2020 when Dillon need some advice, there are no out players the Premier League. Former Hull Cy player Thomas Beatie is the latt, after Jt Fashanu, Thomas Hzlsperger and Robbie says that he felt that he uldn't announce that he was gay while still playg: "I lerally felt like I had to sacrifice one of the two: who I am, or the sport I loved, " he said.

GAY PREMIER LEAGUE FOOTBALLER 'VERY LIKELY' TO E OUT NEXT YEAR, SAYS JT FASHANU'S NIECE

Homosexualy is often still ed as an sult a lot of, A young footballerThere are a number of clive teams the UK that help people to feel that they n be accepted for who they are and still play football. The LGBT chary Stonewall says dramas and storyl that show openly gay characters are important: "A lot of people fd hard to image that any top tier footballers - who are male - uld potentially be gay or bi, " says Robbie De Santos, Stonewall's director of sport.

However, men's football is far behd other sports when to s stars beg openly gay and Joe thks more needs to be done to make sure young gay players like him feel wele and accepted the game.

But rather than jt certa tim of the year, you're not gay for a month you're gay for life and clubs om any sport need to be able to show that support nsistently to say; 'listen, you're gog to be weled this muny and 's gog to be a good thg that you're out and open'.

JAKE DANIELS: BLACKPOOL FORWARD BE UK'S FIRST ACTIVE MALE PROFSNAL FOOTBALLER TO E OUT PUBLICLY AS GAY

Image source, Getty ImagImage ptn, Watford pta Troy Deeney says there's probably "one gay player every team"Troy Deeney, the pta of Premier League si Watford, has said that he believ there is "probably one gay player every football team". "I thk people that are gay or om that muny fely are very worried about havg to shoulr the rponsibily of beg the first. There are only two players playg profsnally now who are openly gay, San Diego Loyal's Coll Mart and Anton Hysen who plays Swen.

THE MOST FAMO GAY FOOTBALLERS IN THE MORN GAME

Gay football player UK – In recent years, there has been a growg movement towards LGBTQ+ clivy sports, but progrs has been slow some areas. In this article, we provi some rmatn about gay football players England, who probably played Premier League or Champnship the challeng faced by gay football players, the potential impact of g out, and the steps taken to promote LGBTQ+ clivy football. List of gay football player the UKJake Daniels -2005Liam Davis – 1990Jt Fashanu -1961-1998Gay football player premier leagueGay champnship playerChalleng faced by gay football players the UKConcln.

8 MALE FOOTBALL PLAYERS WHO DARED TO COME OUT AS GAY

This ma him one of the few openly gay football players the UK, and he received wispread support om fans and fellow players alike. In 2018, Liam Davis ma headl when he me out as gay, beg one of the very few openly gay football players the UK.

The lack of openly gay players the Premier League has been a topic of discsn recent years, wh many llg for greater clivy and reprentatn for LGBTQ+ dividuals sports. There have been efforts to create a more welg environment for gay players football, cludg iativ such as the Rabow Lac mpaign, which aims to promote LGBTQ+ cln sports. As of now, there are no openly gay players the English Football League Champnship, which is the send-hight divisn the English football league system.

However, siar to the Premier League, there have been several former players who have e out as gay after retirg om the sport. Gay football players face a range of challeng the sport, om discrimatn and prejudice to homophobia and social stigma. Other exampl clu the se of Anton Hysen, a Swedish footballer who me out as gay 2011 and faced signifint prejudice and discrimatn om fans and fellow players.

JAKE DANIELS: BLACKPOOL FOOTBALLER, 17, OUT, BEG ONLY OPENLY GAY MALE PROFSNAL FOOTBALLER BRA

Siarly, former Aston Villa player Thomas Hzlsperger also faced homophobia and discrimatn after g out as gay 2014. In addn to overt discrimatn, gay football players may also face more subtle forms of prejudice and excln, such as beg left out of team bondg activi or experiencg a lack of support om ach and teammat.

In ncln, the lack of openly gay football players the UK highlights the ongog challeng faced by LGBTQ+ dividuals sports. Discrimatn, prejudice, and homophobia are jt some of the issu that gay football players have historilly faced. Image source, Getty ImagNearly 50, 000 people were followg a Twter acunt reportedly n by a Champnship footballer planng to e out as gay - until this @FootballerGay acunt was never verified, and there were doubts over whether was genue but drew huge attentn om football fans and the Aston Villa midfielr Thomas Hzlsperger revealed he was gay after retirg om the sport - but there are no out LGBT players the top tiers of men's UK football.

HERE ARE EIGHT OUT AND PROUD MALE GAY FOOTBALLERS

"Image source, Bristol Cy PanthersImage ptn, "When 's you and your iends kickg a ball about no one really r about you beg gay, " says PhilPhil believ there is a "1950s attu" towards LGBT people profsnal football - pecially on the an example, he mentns a iend who would be "fe" if a player at his favoure club me out as gay - but wouldn't want his child supportg the footballer or wearg his shirt. 'LGBT fans endure horrible behavur'Before @FootballerGay leted his acunt, he changed his b to clu the le: "I thought I was strong enough. "There are lbian, gay and trans people every football stadium across the untry at every game, " says Robbie De Santos, Stonewall's director of sport.

"He says the lack of LGBT players on the pch at men's gam rults homophobic chants and attus on the terrac - and says that havg big stars football e out uld go some way to makg fans more tolerant. He's also cril of the "media enzy" that surround the acunt and the "unhelpful" speculatn that took place about who was behd the @FootballerGay acunt before was taken source, TwterImage ptn, The acunt was leted after ls than a month on TwterAttus football have evolved, Robbie says, and he hop the recent succs and populary of the Women's World Cup uld help show certa fans that football isn't only played by straight men.

A-LEAGUE FOOTBALLER JOSH CAVALLO OUT PUBLICLY AS GAY: 'I'M TIRED OF THIS DOUBLE LIFE'

"That's somethg that would make a huge difference to gay football fans like Phil, who says if the @FootballerGay acunt was a fake, would show the lengths some supporters would go "to make harr for someone to e out sport". "Blackpool forward Jake Daniels speaks exclively on beg the UK's first male profsnal footballer to e out publicly as gay sce Jt talks about g out to his parents, his club, and his team-mat.

EVRA: THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO GAY PLAYERS AT EVERY FOOTBALL CLUB

Of urse I am aware that there will be a reactn to this and some of will be homophobic, maybe a stadium and on social 's an easy thg for people to target. Football v Homophobia: "Football v Homophobia would like to ngratulate Jake on takg this step to share his thentic self the men's profsnal game, pecially at such a young age. "There have prevly been players who felt that they had no place the game as out gay men durg their playg reers, but Jake is showg the world that you n be yourself.

To e out publicly as the first openly gay player men's profsnal football the UK the last 30 years tak urage. Homosexualy English and world football is still a taboo subject and one that is shared by both players and the media.

Comg out as a gay man the world of football is a sry thg and one that tak a hell of a lot of urage and bravery.