Josh Cavallo, who became the world’s first openly gay soccer player when he came out in October 2021, says he receives “multiple” death threats daily.
The Australian, 25, who is a midfielder for Adelaide United, opened up about his experience during the latest edition of FIFPRO’s Footballers Unfiltered with Joe Hart podcast.
“In the world of football being an gay openly player is a very toxic place. It’s something that not everyone would be able to handle and go through. I still think we’re a very, very long way of [there] being acceptance in this space, unfortunately,” said Cavallo when asked if players should be “more comfortable” with coming out now.
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Stressing that he could only speak based on his experience, Cavallo added that “coming out brings all this attention, brings all this pressure, brings all this negativity that will affect their game in the long run.”
It’s something that he’s witnessed firsthand.
“I step onto the field or I get injured or something happens in my football it’s all got to do with my sexuality,” he said.
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“There’s multiple, multiple, multiple death threats that come my way daily still, and it’s quite sad to see,” he said.
“It’s difficult to say, and to say to people, ‘Absolutely, come out, be yourself.’ But it also comes with a mountain of downsides as well that I don’t think people realize,” he added.
Cavallo, who announced his engagement to Leighton Morrell in March 2024, however, said he was “tired of being hidden and tired of having to go around and hide from people and not live my authentic self” before coming out.
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“And then I would be like why hasn’t this happened in football? Why hasn’t no one ever came out to be themselves and be successful and play,” he said. “And I understand that now looking back, all the negativity, all the things that come your way.”
While he notes that, at times, it can affect him as he has his “good days” and “bad days,” he has a “very strong support network” that helps push him through.
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“I’m free. I go to bed, I put my head on the pillow and I’m happy I’m Josh Cavallo. I’m the footballer. I’m also the gay footballer and I’m super proud to say that because I never knew what the capability and the ability that and the reach that this had by posting a video like that,” he said, referencing the moment he came out.
