Comment on this story</tle><path d="M14 14V2H2v9.47h8.18L12.43 13ZM3 10.52V3h10v9.23l-2.5-1.66Z"></path></svg></button><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-fBEbFG">Comment</span><span class="wpds-c-fOvfhP wpds-c-fOvfhP-kshkDy-isCommentType-te none" aria-hidn="te"><span class="ment-unt font-xxxxs sc-ral-unt"><span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div class="teaser-ntent grid-center"><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">CARSON, Calif. — The tattoo, pete and scripted cursive, reads: “Nature ran her urse.” Megan Rapoe had the phrase wrten on her left biceps long ago, and as dk falls upon her vibrant soccer reer, the words sound like a prophecy fulfilled.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Notice the distctn om the sayg, “Let nature take s urse.” There is no ht of docily the Rapoe variatn, no submissn to lettg life happen whout ristance. On her sk is a remr to be fortable her sk. In a world that n torment and rtra, Rapoe is who she was tend to be: bold, empathetic and unavoidable. She is a master of meetg nsequential moments. She is a natural in.</p></div></div><div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Jt <a href=" target=_blank>months om retirement</a>, Rapoe enters her fal World Cup a supportg role. Instead of receivg major playg time and beg asked to repeat her Goln Ball heroics om the Uned Stat’ 2019 triumph France, her greatt rponsibily may be to “lead the lears,” as U.S. women’s natnal soccer team ach Vlatko Andonovski lik to say. Rapoe nnot be her own sunset; she mt relish wh others. For a player who enjoys good vib as much as srg goals, is an appropriate way for her n to end.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-vio" data-ttid="article-vio" class=""><div><figure class="mb-md mr-to-ns ml-to-ns hi-for-prt ml-neg-gutter mr-neg-gutter"><div class="w-100 aspect-ctom" style="background-posn:center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-lor:rgb(245, 245, 245);background-image:url();background-size:nta;--aspect-height:0.5625;--aspect-width:1"></div><figptn><div class="mt-xs mr-to-ns ml-to-ns left font--subhead font-xxxs gray-dark ml-gutter mr-gutter" data-qa="vio-ptn">This World Cup is the last for some of the players on the USWNT, cludg Megan Rapoe. What is the legacy they'll leave on and off the field? (Vio: Joshua Carroll/The Washgton Post)</div></figptn></figure></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“I uld have never imaged where this betiful game would have taken me,” Rapoe said recently while announcg her retirement.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">She let nature play tour gui, but she kept an eye on her pass. She found a way — a better way — by tstg her standards of humany. She created a lane to be at peace while strivg for stardom as an openly gay woman who exprs herself eely on and off the field.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">At 38, Rapoe is 20 years olr than teen prodigy Alyssa Thompson, an exaggerated example of the shift occurrg on the dynastic U.S. women’s team and throughout the sports world durg a perd of nstant goodbye-wavg to legends. As Rapoe prepar to part, she necsat somethg beyond the standard salute. Wh dogged flair, she has moled a new prototype for female superstars. There is new room for women to be dac, not jt cute and mure. There is room to be unapologetilly petive and unaaid to offend.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="wpds-c-VkPmP hi-for-prt"><div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">As <a href=" target=_blank>Angel Ree</a> and <a href=" target=_blank>Cal Clark</a> showsed durg the NCAA basketball tournament, the next generatn is flntg thenticy and range. The athlet reject rather than appease those who look at them wh a disapprovg gaze. Outsi of Serena Williams, Rapoe has been as fluential as anyone her era at creatg that space. And she is peerls among morn athlet her stama to take stands agast social jtice.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Rapoe has given her body, cludg two ACL juri llege, to soccer. She has received env treasur: two World Cup tl, an Olympic gold medal, ternatnal fame. But she will leave behd an valuable template for self-posssn.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“As ol as you thk she’s gog to be, you meet her, and she’s even oler,” said U.S. fenr Alana Cook, who also plays wh Rapoe for NWSL club OL Reign. “They say don’t meet your hero. I thk everyone should meet Poe.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“For someone as globally renowned and as important and popular as she is, what’s special about her is she mak every sgle person feel important and feel like they have her time. She mak everyone feel like they n be themselv, and they n show up as who they tly are.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body grid-tablet-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">As a young U.S. forward, Rapoe learned an endurg lson om Kriste Lilly, whose natnal team experience spanned 23 years and 354 appearanc. Lilly, a member of the revered 1999 World Cup champnship squad, overlapped wh Rapoe, her early 20s, before she retired 2010.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Back then, Rapoe was stgglg to keep up wh the veterans. She whimpered over to Lilly, who Rapoe says “uld probably still outn all of to this day.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“I’m sure I was not dog very well and plag about how hard was and how easy looked for her,” Rapoe said. “And she jt looked me ad the face and was like, ‘It’s hard for everyone.’ ”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The words stuck. Rapoe expand their meang, g them to strengthen her rolve and to be aware of people endurg hardships around her. Crics may try to dismiss her as a ntroversy addict, as if she uld possibly enjoy all the tnts and ath threats and social media graffi. But realy, she hasn’t been able to skip a fight — whether was for <a href=" target=_blank>equal pay and genr equaly</a>, <a href=" target=_blank>Black Liv Matter</a> or supportg transgenr athlet — bee the woman who lls herself “crazy ltle Megan” has crazy good tentns. If she unrstands ’s hard for everyone, then what’s her exce for beg different?</p></div><div class="article-body grid-body grid-center" data-qa="article-body"><div class="wpds-c-SEUFi wpds-c-SEUFi-iblNTCR-css"><div data-ttid="re-roel-ntaer" role="group" aria-rolescriptn="roel" class="wpds-c-jQxwKe wpds-c-jQxwKe-idyBywr-css"><a href="#end-react-aria-1" class="wpds-c-iSKIAI wpds-c-iSKIAI-iedmEYU-css">Skip to end of roel</a><div class="absolute right-0 pa-md h-100 z-1 poter-events-none" style="top:0;background-image:"></div><div class="flex-ns jtify-between ems-center" aria-hidn="te"><h6 class="wpds-c-bcjwkI">World Cup 2023</h6></div><div data-ttid="roel-ntent" data-qa="roel-ntent" class="wpds-c-cubdkx overflow-xscroll"><div data-qa="roel-em-0" data-ttid="roel-em-0" class="wpds-c-bYoKkr snap-start flex-none" style="marg-right:0px" role="group" aria-rolescriptn="sli" aria-label="1 of 1"><div class="wpds-c-iKoytf wpds-c-iKoytf-iduqwxX-css"><div class="wpds-c-iMKICq wpds-c-iMKICq-ihPoHKF-css"><div><div class="wpds-c-cXHzQF wpds-c-cXHzQF-dLfCpM-alignment-left wpds-c-cXHzQF-fGHEql-isCBCentered-false wpds-c-cXHzQF-hJqGmt-cv"><span style="box-sizg:borr-box;display:le-block;overflow:hidn;width:ial;height:ial;background:none;opacy:1;borr:0;marg:0;paddg:0;posn:relative;max-width:100%"><span style="box-sizg:borr-box;display:block;width:ial;height:ial;background:none;opacy:1;borr:0;marg:0;paddg:0;max-width:100%"><img style="display:block;max-width:100%;width:ial;height:ial;background:none;opacy:1;borr:0;marg:0;paddg:0" alt="" aria-hidn="te" src="data:image/svg+xml,></span><img addnal_properti="[object Object]" alt_text="" ptn="" ptn_display="" pyright="The Washgton Post" subtle="Women's World Cup 2023: Landg Page" type="image" url=" _id="6WR366N4VNHIVHOAR4NT6XS7FQ" aspectRat="3/2" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" dg="async" data-nimg="trsic" style="posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizg:borr-box;paddg:0;borr:none;marg:to;display:block;width:0;height:0;m-width:100%;max-width:100%;m-height:100%;max-height:100%;background-size:ver;background-posn:0% 0%;filter:blur(20px);background-image:url("data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http%3A//; xmlns%3Axlk='http%3A//; viewBox='0 0 1280 853'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' lor-terpolatn-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGssianBlur stdDeviatn='.5'%3E%3C/feGssianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA type='discrete' tableValu='1 1'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage filter='url(%23b)' x='0' y='0' height='100%25' width='100%25' xlk%3Ahref='data%3Aimage/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAkAAAAGCAIAAACepSOSAAAACXBIWXMAAC4jAAAuIwF4pT92AAAAs0lEQVQI1wGoAFf/AImSoJSer5yjs52ktp2luJuluKOpuJefsoCNowB+kKaOm66grL+krsCnsMGrt8m1u8mzt8OVoLIAhJqzjZ2tnLLLnLHJp7fNmpyjqbPCqLrRjqO7AIeUn5ultaWtt56msaSnroZyY4mBgLq7wY6TmwCRfk2Pf1uzm2WulV+xmV6rmGyQfFm3nWSBcEIAfm46jX1FkH5Djn5AmodGo49MopBLlIRBfG8yj/dfjF5TUAAAAASUVORK5CYII='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E'")"/><noscript><img addnal_properti="[object Object]" alt_text="" ptn="" ptn_display="" pyright="The Washgton Post" subtle="Women's World Cup 2023: Landg Page" type="image" url=" _id="6WR366N4VNHIVHOAR4NT6XS7FQ" aspectRat="3/2" srcSet=" 1x" src=" dg="async" data-nimg="trsic" style="posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizg:borr-box;paddg:0;borr:none;marg:to;display:block;width:0;height:0;m-width:100%;max-width:100%;m-height:100%;max-height:100%" loadg="lazy"/></noscript></span></div></div><div><div class="wpds-c-jIpZwk">See full verage of the <a href=" target=_blank>FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023</a>.</div></div></div></div></div></div><div id="re-roel-pagatn-arrows"></div></div><span id="end-react-aria-1" class="sr-only" data-ttid="sr-only">End of roel</span></div><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Everybody stggl different ways,” Rapoe said. “We’re not all gog to stggle the same — on the field, off the field, emotnally, physilly, mentally.”</p><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Even when she’s makg a pot, Rapoe will pse to learn. Seven years ago, when she <a href=" target="_blank">cid to take a knee durg the natnal anthem</a> solidary wh former NFL quarterback Col Kaepernick, sparked ep nversatns wh Crystal Dunn, a Black teammate. Dunn was jt as ncerned about police btaly and racial equaly, but as a newer she didn’t thk she had enough U.S. Soccer chet to make a statement, pecially bee Rapoe’s stance had put the star at odds wh the feratn. So Dunn stood, famoly next to a kneelg Rapoe before a match. When photographers ptured the image, beme fodr for the ignorant, who poked fun at the woke Whe woman dog what a Black woman wouldn’t.</p><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Dunn felt she uldn’t, actually. When she lived the experience through Dunn, Rapoe saw the many layers of urage and privilege. Rapoe’s bold was a safer bold. It’s hard for everyone, but n be harr for others. She unrstood the signifince of beg a famo Whe athlete willg to sacrifice some of her populary.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body grid-tablet-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“As much as meant to me, thk about what said to future players, who were kids and teenagers and are here now,” Dunn said.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Said Cook, a 26-year-old participatg her first World Cup: “I thk she’s someone who will ri as hard for a e that affects her as one that don’t, which is really special. It’s what mak her such a good lear. It’s what mak her such a good human, to be empathetic and see the humany others and fight for . I thk ’s always worth takg the venom, takg the phback when you know that you’re on the right si, when you know that you’re fightg for people who need .</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><div id="gift-share-le" data-ttid="gift-share-le" class="PJLV PJLV-ilotWTr-css hi-for-prt"><button aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-ntrols="gift-share-drawer" role="button" tabx="0" aria-label="Share this article" id="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-le" data-ttid="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-le" class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-gsmDXe wpds-c-gsmDXe-goNocI-placement-Inle foc-highlight"><div data-ttid="gift-share-terstial-trigger" class="wpds-c-kPqOkS wpds-c-kPqOkS-jtSXsT-hasSubsText-false"><span class="wpds-c-hBJqc"><span class="wpds-c-dzSncg">Share this article</span></span><span class="wpds-c-eCvK"><span class="wpds-c-enedHQ wpds-c-enedHQ-cCdK-isShown-false">Share</span><svg xmlns=" fill="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 16 16" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fBqPWp wpds-c-fDHGth"><path fill="currentColor" d="M8 .6v3.8h.1c-4.4 0-7.3 4.5-6.9 8.8.1.8.2 1.2.2 1.2l.2 1 .4-1.3c.8-2 2-4 6.2-3.9H8v4l7-6.9L8 .6Zm1 11.3V9.3h-.9c-3 0-4.8.5-6.2 2.9.5-3.3 2.7-6.8 6.2-6.8H9V3l4.5 4.4L9 11.9Z"></path></svg></span></div></button></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“And when you’re 38 and your playg days are almost over, I mean, how do you hope people talk about you?”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body grid-tablet-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Rapoe will retire October, but she don’t plan to disappear. She certaly won’t be silent. As an athlete, she has ed creativy, panache and a knack for big-stage excellence to boost her legend. Those tras fuel her disptive powers, and they are jt as potent whout cleats.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">In her soccer afterlife, the dissint aspir to be a different kd of thory figure. She wants to tap to her entreprenrial stcts, and she wants to do for eedom, not greed. After years spent challengg systems, she wants to build new on.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Megan has been workg toward steppg off the pch for about three years now,” said Jsi Clarendon, the chief operatg officer of Rapoe Ventur whose relatnship wh the player dat om their days playg high school basketball agast each other California. “She saw that she uld build a bs around who she is. Her retirement is tentnal. She wants to create a blueprt for what a post-reer n look like for female athlet now.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Rapoe has a Nike signature clothg le. She started the productn pany A Touch More wh her fiancée, basketball legend Sue Bird, to produce scripted and unscripted ntent focg on stori of activism and inty and people om unrreprented muni. They hope to center revolutnary figur and e storytellg to embed social progrs to culture.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The loquac Rapoe has a pet phrase: “Wele to the future.” She says often when sharg her visn to leverage her fame to create clive bs.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“She wants to build thgs that n sta outsi of her star power,” Clarendon said. “That will allow other people to be succsful. She’s terted ownership to be a gatekeeper dtri that are largely gate-kept by men who are Whe. She wants to show what succsful bs n look like whout leavg people behd.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“She is, some ways, a morn-day prophet. She se the world what’s not yet seen. She wants to make this world her md and her imagatn to a realy.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body grid-tablet-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">In June, <a href=" target=_blank>the Seattle Storm retired Bird’s No. 10 jersey</a> durg a postgame ceremony that lasted nearly three hours. Rapoe and rapper Macklemore, a Seattle native, emceed the event. More than 2½ hours to the epic event, Bird tried to articulate what Rapoe meant to her.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“You’ve changed me,” Bird told her that day. “You’ve changed my life. You’ve changed how I see thgs. You brought out of me. It was there. I jt didn’t know how to get to . And you saw right away.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The Rapoe effect don’t jt spire dacy. There’s a peace about her, even amid chaos, that attracts people. And when they get close to her, the nnectn is upliftg. Wh Rapoe, Bird intified her nature. She disvered her urse. And she followed wh pri.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“It’s more of jt a lm my experience,” Bird said. “It feels jt way better when people know who you are, what you stand for, what you’re about. It seems like a simple thg, but so much blocks you om beg you. It’s not that way anymore.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="wpds-c-VkPmP hi-for-prt"><div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">On their own, Rapoe and Bird ma an lible impact. But their six years as a uple, they have been nscent change agents. Although Rapoe accentuat dividualy wh her lorful hairstyl and brash celebratns, she functns bt wh a team. In this inic pairg wh Bird, Rapoe sh when need.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“She has an unwaverg abily to rise to any ocsn,” said Dan Levy, her longtime agent and a vice print at Wasserman. “It’s extraordary. I’ve worked wh some of the most credible people — Hall of Famers, legends, the bt who have ever done — but Megan is the only one wh <a href=" target=_blank>a Printial Medal of Freedom</a>. That’s different. She’s jt different all the right ways.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Bird mt help Rapoe say goodbye now. Before the ESPYs, Bird joked Rapoe had “retirement FOMO” (fear of missg out) om watchg the pot guard move on wh grace. Soon, will be Rapoe’s time. She jt needs to help the U.S. team bridge s past and future.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“It’s a show-up-and-show-out kd of vibe,” Rapoe said of this World Cup.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The battl of 2019 have already been won. U.S. Soccer fally has equal pay. <a href=" target="_blank" class="ntextual_lk">Donald Tmp</a>, whom Rapoe still jabs when reporters ask about him, has too many prsg legal matters to unterpunch effectively wh the soccer star. Rapoe may not have an enemy to target this time. Opponents will have to do.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">In the first 32-team field women’s World Cup history, the players will be able to see the game’s growth. It is a worthy send-off for a fighter such as Rapoe.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body grid-tablet-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“I don’t want to be fightg the way that we are,” she said. “It shouldn’t be necsary, but so many ways, is. I thk what I see as the goal for is not the parison or an arrival pot bee that’s jt a nstant parison to men’s sports and that goal post will jt always be moved. But I thk for , ’s unrstandg that nothg ever stays the same, and you have to be nstant motn and nstant progrs. As soon as we know one thg, we have more knowledge for somethg else and then an opportuny to ntue to be better, to brg more people , to make more space for people to be their full selv.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“So I thk that’s somethg that’s so unique and powerful about women’s sports and jt the landspe around women’s sports. What’s happeng on the field is always jt as important as what’s happeng off. I thk we have shown that we have the power to change the world so many ways. I thk as we’ve seen the world change around , the more that we e our voice and create space for ourselv, we’re always creatg space for other people also.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Rapoe, a 5-foot-7 giant, is the queen of creatg space. Her nature. Her urse. She’s still nng, hard and ee. When she stops and looks behd her, she will be moved by all the magic young women dog the same.</p></div><div class="wpds-c-dhzjXW wpds-c-dhzjXW-iPJLV-css mt-md grid-center grid-body"><div id="gift-share-end" data-ttid="gift-share-end" class="PJLV PJLV-idiqKOk-css hi-for-prt"><button aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-ntrols="gift-share-drawer" role="button" tabx="0" aria-label="Share this article" id="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-end" data-ttid="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-end" class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-gsmDXe wpds-c-gsmDXe-iIVoLq-placement-Shortcut foc-highlight"><div class="wpds-c-UazGY" id="gift-share-shortcut" data-ttid="gift-share-shortcut"><svg xmlns=" fill="var(--wpds-lors-primary)" viewBox="0 0 16 16" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fVfumU "><path fill="currentColor" d="M8 .6v3.8h.1c-4.4 0-7.3 4.5-6.9 8.8.1.8.2 1.2.2 1.2l.2 1 .4-1.3c.8-2 2-4 6.2-3.9H8v4l7-6.9L8 .6Zm1 11.3V9.3h-.9c-3 0-4.8.5-6.2 2.9.5-3.3 2.7-6.8 6.2-6.8H9V3l4.5 4.4L9 11.9Z"></path></svg><div class="PJLV wpds-c-kwcHlj">Share</div></div></button></div><div class="wpds-c-hcekgi"><div class="mb-lg-mod" data-qa="ments-btn-div"><button aria-label="Scroll to the ments sectn" data-qa="ments-btn" class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-kSOqLF-SQjOY-variant-sendary wpds-c-kSOqLF-eHdizY-nsy-flt wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-igqYgPb-css ments hi-for-prt"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="currentColor" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fBqPWp "><path d="M14 14V2H2v9.47h8.18L12.43 13ZM3 10.52V3h10v9.23l-2.5-1.66Z"></path></svg><span></span> Comments</button></div></div></div><div class="grid-center grid-body"></div><div class="grid-center grid-body"><div></div></div></article><div class="centered-layout grid-layout"><div class="grid-center grid-mobile-full-bleed"><div class="hi-for-prt ml-to mr-to mt-md pt-lg recirc" data-qa="recirc"><div class="flex-l jtify-center hi-for-prt"><div class="pr-sm ml-sm ml-0-ns b-l br-l bc-gray-darkt more-om-post"><div></div><div class="dn db-l pb-md pt-md"><div data-qa="newsletter" class="hi-for-prt relative"><div class="dib w-100"><div><div class="flex jtify-center align self-center center transn-all duratn-400 ease--out" data-qa="sc-newsletter-signup" aria-label=""><svg aria-labelledby="react-aria-2-aria" role="img" viewBox="0 0 100 80"><tle id="react-aria-2-aria">Loadg...

gay football players soccer

I'm a brother, son, iend, former pro footballer, entreprenr and annoygly petive lad. I'm a lot of thgs, and one of them is gay.

Contents:

COLL MART IS U.S. SOCCER'S ONLY OPENLY GAY MALE PLAYER, AND HE'S WORKG TO MAKE THE GAME MORE CLIVE FOR FUTURE LGBTQ+ PLAYERS

Josh Cavallo, the only openly gay top-flight male soccer player the sport, has told CNN that FIFA’s cisn to ban players om wearg “OneLove” armbands at the Qatar 2022 has ma him feel “exclud.” * gay football players soccer *

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.

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

Beg an out gay man and a soccer player is still somethg that’s greeted wh homophobia. See eight out and proud male gay footballers. * gay football players soccer *

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. Moments earlier, an opposg player targeted Mart, an openly gay man, wh a homophobic slur, and as they gathered unr a tent at halftime, they discsed how to team was agreement: Somethg need to be done.

"Beg able to have a posive msage e out of a really tough suatn was the silver lg, " he the only openly gay men's profsnal soccer player the Uned Stat -- and one of the few who have ever e out globally -- Mart has e to embrace the signifince of what he reprents, pecially for the LGBTQ+ muny. Play1:48Coll Mart: Locker room support was all I needSan Diego Loyal midfielr Coll Mart says the support om his old teammat at Mnota Uned was a big help to him when he me out as gay.

Around those years, havg to hi, havg to remd myself that like, 'Oh, my bt iend on the team, who jt lled another person a f----t, he isn't really homophobic, but he is jt tryg to be hurtful to that person.

JOSH CAVALLO: ONLY OPENLY GAY TOP-FLIGHT MALE FOOTBALLER SAYS FIFA’S ‘ONELOVE’ ARMBAND BAN HAS MA HIM FEEL ‘EXCLUD’

In 1990, Jt Fashanu beme the first football player to publicly e out as gay. Sce then, only seventeen players have done the same. * gay football players soccer *

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”. Josh Cavallo, the only openly gay top-flight male soccer player the sport, has told CNN that FIFA’s cisn to ban players om wearg “OneLove” armbands at the Qatar 2022 has ma him feel “exclud. He me out while playg for Leeds Uned 2013, 23 years after Jt Fashanu took the first step for gay soccer players around the world.

Daniels ma headl May 2022 when he beme the send profsnal English soccer player to publicly e out as gay, 32 years after Jt Fashanu boldly claimed the tle.

20 INSPIRG GAY AND LBIAN FOOTBALL (SOCCER) PLAYERS

* gay football players soccer *

Many high-profile English people praised him after he me out as gay, cludg Prce Harry, then-Prime Mister Boris Johnson, and England natnal team pta Harry Kane.

Not only is this Atralian pro the only openly gay player the 2022 World Cup, but he’s also GQ’s 2022 Sportsman of the Year.

This is where Matt Pacifici beme known through his Instagram announcement, a former Major League Soccer player who has e out publicly as gay an Instagram post troducg the world to his boyiend.

HERE ARE EIGHT OUT AND PROUD MALE GAY FOOTBALLERS

The Alai Uned midfielr announced that he was gay a vio posted to the team's Twter acunt Tuday. * gay football players soccer *

In June 2018, he me out as gay, makg him the only openly gay player any of the big five Amerin sports leagu or any top-tier profsnal men’s natnal soccer league. Mart, 26, announced the news on Twter, statg that he had been openly gay to his iends and fay for years, but never on such a large sle.

Anton has been dubbed the “first high-profile Swedish footballer to announce that he is gay, ” as well as the “send active profsnal football player to e out, ” followg English footballer Jt Fashanu 1990. In December 2017, Davis publicly cricized ments ma by FA chairman Greg Clarke that “profsnal players who out themselv as homosexual would be takg a risk. The 32-year-old has spoken out to enurage male gay footballers to not be aaid of g out, sharg his own experienc as part of Uefa’s Equal Game mpaign, which aims to promote greater cln and diversy the sport.

He is a retired Amerin soccer player who, after his reer end 2011, beme the first male Amerin profsnal soccer player to e out as gay. Pter experienced homophobia om other players while playg for his lol club and was moted om the first to the fourth team after one of his teammat disvered he was gay.

8 MALE FOOTBALL PLAYERS WHO DARED TO COME OUT AS GAY

English soccer player Jake Daniels said he is gay on Monday a trailblazg moment for the European men’s game. * gay football players soccer *

However, there have been several pneerg male gay footballers who cid to e out of the closet and proclaim their sexualy to the world. The South Ain player acknowledg that most of his teammat accepted his sexualy, however, he has faced homophobic slurs om opposg teams.

I don’t wish the hostily I felt on anyone, bee not everyone n survive homophobia a sport like football, ” he told MambaOnle recently. The Atralian plays for Alai Uned Football Club and has been the victim of shameful homophobic abe om game-goers and on social media. In May 2022, Jake Daniels me out at the age of 17  an open letter on the Blackpool Football Club’s webse, beg at that time the UK’s only openly gay active male profsnal footballer.

He also acknowledged that “beg gay, or bi or queer men’s football is still a taboo” and that he is likely to face some gree of homophobia the sport. After stgglg wh his sexualy for years, he me as gay September 2022, makg him the first openly gay player Sttish football sce Jt Fashanu.

MY HIDN JOURNEY: A PROFSNAL SOCCER PLAYER REVEALS HE IS GAY

It has been almost a year sce Josh Cavallo announced he is gay, but even now he still stggl to prehend the far-reachg impact his announcement has had – pecially as he has begun to speak out on major issu, notably the Qatar World Cup. * gay football players soccer *

But tak guts to e out and reveal one’s genr as gay, which is ually an act of urage a world that is not ndned to accept every genr. So, many profsnal leagu, teams, and players are raisg their voic to fight back agast homophobia so that gay footballers don’t face backlash while g out.

In 2020, durg the San Diego Loyal match agast Phoneix Risg FC, Mart released a story of homophobic sults directed toward him. Therefore, a suable environment should be created through tn as a drivg factor, so gay footballers don’t feel prsured to reveal their sexualy.

17-YEAR-OLD SOCCER PLAYER OUT, BEG THE UK'S ONLY OPENLY GAY PROFSNAL FOOTBALLER

It is believed by many that male profsnal footballers are not openly gay or bisexual parison to female players. Read on to fd out more about the homosexual male players football history. * gay football players soccer *

German midfielr Thomas Hzlsperger, the only known gay man to play the Premier League, me out 2014, the year after he gay and havg a reer football never felt like an optn. Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, is gay, and the thgs are all football, there's still fear a gay teammate might dispt the team environment. The more I uld stay awake, the more I uld put off addrsg how I really a sophomore I was named the program's first-ever first-team All-Amerin.

JOSH CAVALLO BE ONE OF THE FEW PROFSNAL MEN'S FOOTBALLERS TO E OUT AS GAY

Openly gay Leeds Uned director David Haigh says players nfid him - and he believ clubs uld benef mercially if stars e out * gay football players soccer *

Jake Daniels, a forward for England's Blackpool Football Club, me out as gay on Monday, beg the UK's only active profsnal soccer player and first to e out 30 years. Ashamed I would never be able to do what I love and be gay, hidg who I really am to pursue a dream I always wished for as a kid. Male profsnal athlet e out as the first openly gay players currently participatg their rpective sports, cludg NHL hockey player Le Prokop and NFL fensive end Carl Nassib.

LONDON — English soccer player Jake Daniels said he is gay on Monday a trailblazg moment for the European men’s 17-year-old forward ma the announcement at the end of his first season as a profsnal player wh send divisn club Blackpool. Daniels said he was spired by Josh Cavallo of Atralian team Alai Uned, who is the only openly gay man currently playg a top divisn world soccer followg the 22-year-old midfielr’s announcement October. ”The only openly gay man to have played English soccer’s profsnal leagu was Jt Fashanu, who was not active at a high level when he ma the announcement 1990.

”It is a rary team sports for men to announce they are Wal pta Gareth Thomas was the first active gby profsnal to e out 2009, two years before he retired, and has bee a source of spiratn across first active NFL player to e out as gay was Carl Nassib  2021 while he was at the Las Vegas Rairs.

ENGLISH SOCCER PLAYER JAKE DANIELS SAYS HE IS GAY

The fensive end was released by the team first openly gay player the NBA was Jason Colls while playg for the Brooklyn Nets of the most proment gay athlet Bra is Olympic divg champn Tom Daley who spired former England soccer pta Casey Stoney to e out 2014. The world’s only openly gay top‑flight men’s footballer says he would be “sred” to play at the World Cup tournament Qatar next year bee of the emirate’s harsh ban on homosexualy and legal penalti rangg om floggg to lengthy prison terms and Cavallo, 21, who plays for Alai Uned Atralia’s A-League, received a wave of support om football fans and current and former players last month after openg up about his sexualy a vio posted to the club’s social media feeds. ”The announcement ma Cavallo the only out gay player men’s profsnal football, his isolatn stark a sport whose admistrators have lnched high-profile public mpaigns recent years embracg LGBT fans and only a handful of male players have ever e out, ntrast to the women’s game, which has easily blown past the same barrier: more than 40 lbian or bisexual players took part the 2019 women’s World Cup France, acrdg to Fifa.

Crics have raised the fact that Fifa ntu to award World Cups to untri such as Rsia – where homophobia has been lled a “state‑sponsored” project – and Qatar, where same-sex acts are illegal, as evince of the erng body’s patchy mment to if holdg the tournament a untry wh strict penalti for homosexualy sent the wrong msage to gay footballers and fans, Cavallo, who has played for Atralia’s unr-20s ternatnal si, told the Guardian’s daily news podst that he would be aaid for his safety if asked to participate the 2022 Qatar World Cup. 'I'm a footballer and I'm gay': A-League player Josh Cavallo talks about his sexualy – vio“I read somethg along the l of that [they] give the ath penalty for gay people Qatar, so ’s somethg I’m very sred [of] and wouldn’t really want to go to Qatar for that, ” he said.

GAY FOOTBALLER JOSH CAVALLO WOULD BE ‘SRED’ TO PLAY AT WORLD CUP QATAR

At the end of the day the World Cup is Qatar and one of the greatt achievements as a profsnal footballer is to play for your untry, and to know that this is a untry that don’t support gay people and puts at risk of our own life, that do sre me and mak me re-evaluate – is my life more important than dog somethg really good my reer?

Mlims the untry n be subject to Sharia law that bans any sexual activy outsi marriage wh punishments rangg up to the ath penalty, meang homosexual acts n technilly rult executn, though several human rights reports have said there is no evince any gay people have been executed for the offence. ”Along wh the appallg ndns for migrant workers buildg the astcture for the tournament, the prospect of gay fans or players beg arrted Qatar has dogged Fifa sce the emirate was announced as host of the tournament 2010.

GAY ATRALIAN FOOTBALLER JOSH CAVALLO SAYS WORLD CUP SHOULDN’T BE GOG TO QATAR, WHERE HOMOSEXUALY IS ILLEGAL

The anisatn’s then print, Sepp Blatter, fuelled the ntroversy the same year when he was asked if he had any advice for gay people who wanted to travel to the Gulf state for the petn.

But they walk a fe le between acmodatg what are now mastream attus towards gay people much of the world and the untry’s own nservative relig the tournament has approached, Qatari officials have sought to reassure LGBT fans that they will be wele the untry and n exprs themselv – wh lims.

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

”Prsed at the time over how Qataris would react to a gay uple holdg hands, Khater said they would be treated the same as a heterosexual uple. It has been almost a year sce Josh Cavallo announced he is gay, but even now he still stggl to prehend the far-reachg impact his announcement has had – pecially as he has begun to speak out on major issu, notably the Qatar World Cup.

A year on, Cavallo remas the only openly gay top-flight male footballer the world – he plays for Alai Uned Atralia’s A League – but his cisn spired Jake Daniels, a forward for English send divisn club Blackpool, to e out May of this year.

“It was jt the uncertaty, seeg that there was no active gay footballer that’s e out before and there was no plan wh , ” he rells.

GAY MOSW MOSW CY GUI

Fashanu beme the first openly gay profsnal footballer after g out 1990 while playg the English top flight, but the backlash he suffered eventually led him to take his own life eight years later. Earlier this month, former Spa ternatnals Iker Casillas and Carl Puyol were wily cricized after the former posted a tweet claimg he was gay. Cavallo says the exchange between Casillas and Puyol prov football still has “got a long way to go” to eradite homophobia, even if the sport has recently ma steps the right directn.

The club tak s name om New York Cy’s 1969 Stonewall rts, which beme a historic watershed moment the gay liberatn movement the U. At the last Women’s World Cup 2019, there were at least 41 players or ach who intified as gay or bisexual, while durg the men’s tournament 2018, there were no known gay players.

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