Homosexuality in association football

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Homophobia has been widespread in men's association football, also known as soccer, throughout the world.

There are a number of openly LGBT+ players in

come out after retirement.[1]

Background

In 2006 journalist Simon Barnes wrote that homophobia in football was entrenched and would never change,[2] and in 2009 journalist Matt Williams wrote that being a gay professional player in football was still a taboo,[3] Football magazine When Saturday Comes described homosexuality as a "continuing taboo" in the sport in 2013.[4] One male player who came out after retiring said that there are at least as many closeted gay male players as there are openly LGBT+ female players.[1] John Amaechi, the first NBA player to come out, in 2014 blamed football's "toxic" culture for the lack of openly gay players,[5] while English former footballer Clarke Carlisle called for more education to be given to players to combat homophobia.[6]

In June 2022, it was revealed that homophobia made up the majority of abuse aimed at footballers, 40% for men and 27% for women.[7]

In July 2023, Quinn became the first openly transgender player at a World Cup.[8]

By country

Australia

The first male professional player to come out was Andy Brennan, who did so in May 2019, when playing for Green Gully in the National Premier Leagues Victoria, a semi-professional league.[9] In October 2021,[10] A-League Men player Josh Cavallo became the first openly gay active top flight footballer in the world.[11]

No male Australian internationals are openly gay, though a number of the Australian women's national team are, including Sam Kerr,[12] Michelle Heyman[13] and Tameka Yallop (née Butt).[14]

Austria

In March 2024, national team manager Ralf Rangnick dropped three players for homophobic chanting following a club game.[15]

Brazil

In 2007, Richarlyson was named on Brazilian television as gay by the administrative manager of a rival team. When Richarlyson undertook legal action, the complaint was thrown out by the judge, who stated "football was a virile masculine sport and not a homosexual one."[16] Richarlyson would later come out as bisexual in 2022.[17]

In January 2019, former Botafogo footballer Douglas Braga said that he had quit football aged 21 as it was not possible for him to be both gay and a footballer.[18]

Many Brazilian footballers refuse to wear shirt number 24 for fear of being labelled as gay, as the number 24 is associated with homosexuality in Brazil. This derives from the number 24 in Jogo do bicho being assigned to the deer – veado in Portuguese, which sounds like viado, a slur for a gay man – and from the Portuguese for 24, vinte e quatro, sounding like vim te quatro ("I came on all fours").[19]

Several renowned Brazilian women's internationals are openly lesbian, including Bárbara, Cristiane, Debinha and Marta.[20][21]

Bulgaria

In 2006,

Schalke 04.[23][24]

Czech Republic

In 2019,

In February 2023, Sparta Prague and Czech Republic national team midfielder Jakub Jankto came out as gay, the first active men's international player to do so.[26][27]

Denmark

Anders Lindegaard is one of the few footballers to have spoken out against the intolerance of homosexuality in football[28] and the absence of openly gay players from the professional game, in 2012.[29]

England

poof".[30] Fashanu was interviewed for the July 1991 cover story of Gay Times, and Fashanu revealed that no club had offered him a full-time contract since the story first appeared.[36] In the morning of 3 May 1998, he was found hanged in a deserted lock-up garage he had broken into, in Shoreditch, London, after visiting Chariots Roman Spa, a local gay sauna. In his suicide note, he stated: "I realised that I had already been presumed guilty. I do not want to give any more embarrassment to my friends and family," in reference to allegations of sexual assault made against him.[37]

In August 2010, Hope Powell, the openly gay coach of the England women's team, was named in 68th place on The Independent newspaper's Pink List of influential lesbian and gay people in the UK.[38]

In 2013,

Pink News credited David Haigh along with Robbie Rogers and Thomas Hitzlsperger with paving the way for LGBT players and managers in football.[43]

Many players have come out in recent years, including Casey Stoney, captain of the England women's team, who came out in February 2014.[44] Liam Davis, a non-league player with Gainsborough Trinity, revealed in 2014 that he had been out as gay for four years; he is the country's only openly gay male semi-professional player.[45][46] In June 2020, ex-player Thomas Beattie came out as gay.[47][48]

In August 2017, Ryan Atkin came out as gay, becoming the first openly gay match official in English football.[49][50]

In July 2019, an anonymous Twitter account called 'The Gay Footballer' announced that they were a professional footballer playing in the EFL Championship. After saying they intended to come out publicly, they later deleted the account.[51][52]

On 16 May 2022, Blackpool player Jake Daniels came out as gay, making him the only current gay male professional footballer in the UK.[53] He said that doing so would allow him to be "free and confident",[54] and it was described by the BBC as a "watershed moment".[55]

No player has ever played in the English Premier League while openly gay, and openly gay German player Thomas Hitzlsperger stated in January 2014 that he thought it would be a long time before this happened.[56] Players such as John Ruddy,[57] Richarlison and Lucas Digne[58] have spoken about their belief that a gay teammate would be accepted and supported. In July 2020, a current Premier League player revealed he was gay but would/could not come out.[59]

Homophobia and homophobic abuse

On multiple occasions there have been reports of homophobic chanting by fans attending matches, and arrests made or fines issued to fans and clubs. In December 2011, a Southampton fan was banned for three years for homophobic chanting.[60] In August 2019, Bristol Rovers were fined by the FA for homophobic chanting by their fans.[61] In December 2019, Brighton players were subjected to homophobic abuse by Wolves fans; two people were arrested.[62] On 1 February 2020, two West Ham United fans were arrested in London Stadium by the police for directing homophobic chants towards Brighton & Hove Albion fans during a Premier League match.[63]

In January 2023, there were alleged homophobic chants by Nottingham Forest fans, aimed at Chelsea fans,[64] by Manchester United fans against Everton manager Frank Lampard (who used to play for Chelsea),[65] by Manchester City fans, also aimed at Chelsea,[66] and by Liverpool fans against Chelsea, for which three people were later arrested.[67] The FA said that they would charge the clubs whose fans had targeted Chelsea,[68] with the chant in question having been defined as a homophobic slur by the Crown Prosecution Service in January 2022.[69] In March 2023 there were homophobic chants during a match between Leeds United and Brighton, with Leeds later being fined £150,000.[70] In April 2023, three Wolverhampton Wanderers fans were arrested following homophobic chanting during a match against Chelsea.[71] In July 2023, a Fulham fan was banned for three years for homophobic chants,[72] and later that month, Wolverhampton Wanderers were fined £100,000 due to homophobic chants by their fans.[73] In May 2023, a LGBTQ+ Manchester United supporters group criticised chanting from their own fans against opposition players.[74]

Heterosexual players, such as Sol Campbell,[75] Ryan Allsop[76], Billy Gilmour[77] and Conor Gallagher[78] have been the victim of homophobic abuse by fans. Another heterosexual player, Graeme Le Saux, was homophobically abused by fellow player Robbie Fowler.[30]

In August 2014,

League Manager's Association defended Mackay, claiming that the texts were merely "banter"; the LMA later apologised for this.[82][83] Mackay denied being racist, sexist or homophobic.[84]

In April 2014,

Manny Monthe was banned for seven matches for making a homophobic comment during a game.[86]

In January 2022, Ian Holloway said he felt English football was homophobic.[87]

Advocacy and activism

The Gay Football Supporters Network was founded in 1989 to campaign for gay rights in English football, and it currently organises the GFSN National League, a league consisting of gay teams.[88] Stonewall Football Club is currently[when?] Britain's highest ranking gay football team, are on the verge of going semi-professional.[citation needed]

The prominent gay rights activist Peter Tatchell joined a Football Association campaign against homophobia in football,[89] but later left stating the organisation does not take the matter seriously.[90]

The gay rights group

Stonewall published a report in August 2009 which described English football as "institutionally homophobic".[91] In February 2014, it was revealed that only 11 of the Premier League's 20 teams, and only 17 of the Football League's 72 teams, had joined the 'Football v Homophobia' campaign.[92]

In December 2013,

Leeds United, became the first Stonewall Diversity Champion in English football, championing gay equality within the club and wider football.[93] Former Leeds United player Robbie Rogers, who was one of the first male professional footballers to come out as gay, launched his 'Beyond It' anti-discrimination charity with David Haigh at the club.[94]

In August 2023, Aaron Ramsdale, whose brother is gay, said he would begin calling out homophobia in the sport.[95]

France

Olivier Rouyer came out after retiring as a player and coach.[30][96][97]

A gay amateur team operates in Paris under the name Paris Foot Gay. The club's highest profile supporter from within the professional game has been former France national football team player Vikash Dhorasoo (who is heterosexual)[98] whilst a number of leading French professional clubs have signed their charter against homophobia.[99] The club ran into controversy in 2009, however, when an amateur side Creteil Bebel refused to play them due to the "principles" of Paris Foot Gay.[100] Additionally, Ouissem Belgacem left Toulouse FC after five years of having to hide his homosexuality. In 2021, he published his autobiographic novel Adieu ma honte to denounce homophobia in association football.[101]

The issue returned to the spotlight in 2010 when amateur FC Chooz refused to register Yoann Lemaire, who had been with the club for 14 years, due to him being gay as they claimed it might lead to "trouble" with his teammates.[102]

In March 2019, former player Patrice Evra denied making homophobic comments against Paris Saint-Germain.[103]

In August 2019, a

Marlene Schiappa reacted on Twitter and congratulated the referee for interrupting the match.[105] Later that month a game between Nice and Marseille was halted due to homophobic chanting.[106]

In May 2022,

International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.[108][109] He had also notably missed the same fixture in the previous season, with the reasoning behind his non-participation then being that he was suffering from gastroenteritis.[110] For his controversial absence against Montpellier, Gueye received backlash and calls for sanctions from Rouge Direct, an organization against homophobia,[111] and île-de-France politician Valérie Pécresse, among others.[112] Senegalese president Macky Sall expressed his support for Gueye, justifying the position by stating that Gueye's "religious beliefs must be respected".[113]

Following the controversy surrounding Idrissa Gueye, French former international referee Nicolas Potier publicly came out.[114]

In May 2023, further players refused to participate in anti-homophobia actions,[115] with French sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera calling for sanctions against them.[116]

Georgia

In November 2017, while playing for Dutch club

Coming Out Day. His show of support for gay rights led to protests outside the Georgian Football Federation's headquarters demanding his removal from the national team, at which eight people were arrested. He described himself as being "proud to support equal rights".[117]

Germany

Former German international Thomas Hitzlsperger came out as gay after retiring.

The Hamburger SV (HSV) player Heinz Bonn (1947–1991) was the first Bundesliga player to be publicly known as being gay, but only after his death. He played for HSV from 1970 to 1973. He was found murdered in his flat in Hannover on 5 December 1991, apparently by a male prostitute, according to police investigators, although the crime has never been solved. The historian Werner Skrentny has said at the time Bonn was playing, journalists had little interest in the private lives of footballers and it would have been unthinkable for him to come out.[118] HSV has its own official LGBT fan club. Blue Pride was founded in 2006. It was renamed Volksparkjunxx in 2012.[119]

Rot-Weiß Erfurt. From the age of 13, he had been hot-housed at a specialist sports boarding school in Erfurt but at the age of 20, in 1991, when he was about to become a professional footballer, he gave up the sport. He came out to friends and family in 1994, and in 2007 publicly spoke to the media about his homosexuality and the difficulties that gay footballers experience. He said that the pressure of having to pretend to be something he was not 24 hours a day was too much for him. He became widely known after a biography titled Versteckspieler: Die Geschichte des schwulen Fußballers Marcus Urban ('Hidden Player: the story of the gay footballer Marcus Urban') was published in 2008.[120][121]

Urban has since[when?] become a spokesperson and campaigner on diversity issues in sport and the workplace. He advises the German Olympic Sports Confederation and the Sports Committee of the German Federal Parliament, as well as businesses and non-profit institutions.[122][123]

In December 2006, Rund magazine published an interview done over a two-year period with two gay footballers living secret lives. One was married and said his wife did not know of his sexual orientation nor realise he was involved in an intimate relationship with his childhood friend. The other often brought a female friend to social events.[124]

In March 2010, former manager Rudi Assauer said that "If a player came to me and said he was gay I would say to him: 'You have shown courage'. But then I would tell him to find something else to do.[125] That's because those who out themselves always end up busted by it, ridiculed by their fellow players and by people in the stands. We should spare them these witch hunts."[126]

On 8 January 2014, Thomas Hitzlsperger, who had retired from professional football in September 2013, announced that he was gay.[127] Before coming out, in September 2012, Hitzlsperger had publicly spoken about players coming out.[128] In September 2014 he said that he believed the sport was tackling homophobia.[129]

In June 2021, at the delayed UEFA Euro 2020 tournament, Germany national team captain Manuel Neuer was investigated by UEFA for wearing a rainbow captain's armband.[130] The potential fines were dropped as the UEFA said that it was not a political statement but "a team symbol for diversity and thus for a good cause".[131]

Hungary

On 15 June 2021, Hungary played their opening match against Portugal at the delayed UEFA Euro 2020 tournament, with Hungarian fans allegedly displaying homophobic banners.[132] UEFA announced an investigation.[133]

Ireland

In June 2019, the Irish women's national football team captain Katie McCabe and fellow Irish international Ruesha Littlejohn announced that they were in a relationship. McCabe described women's football as being "very accepting" regarding gay footballers.[134]

Mexico

In June 2018, Mexican fans engaged in homophobic chanting during the 2018 FIFA World Cup game against Germany.[135]

Mexican football fans are known for shouting out "Puto!" (a Spanish homophobic slur), when the opposing team's goalkeeper is about to perform a goalkick. The chant has been shouted during Liga MX matches as well as in matches with the Mexico national team. However, these chants have led to fines and have also led Liga MX, FIFA, and CONCACAF to implement protocols regarding them.[136][137]

The first time these protocols were initiated were during a series of matches between

Monarcas Morelia in 2019.[138]

During the 2021 CONCACAF Nations League Finals, fans chanted out the homophobic chant during both the semifinal against Costa Rica and the final match against the United States. This has led CONCACAF to initiate their anti-discrimination protocol by stopping the match in order to warn fans of getting ejected for saying the chant.[139]

In June 2021 the Mexican Football Federation were punished by FIFA for alleged homophobic chants from their fans during the 2020 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship. They were fined up to $65,000 and were forced to have the Men's National Team to play two World Cup qualifying games behind closed doors.[140]

In June 2023, during the

2023 CONCACAF Nations League semi-final between Mexico and the United States, there were homophobic chants from Mexican fans.[141]

Netherlands

In April 2009, former

Dordrecht'90 striker John de Bever married his manager and friend Kees Stevens. De Bever played at the 1996 FIFA Futsal World Championship[142] and was named World Futsal player of the year in 1997.[143]

In June 2021 on NOS podcast "de schaduwspits", an anonymous Eredivisie player came forward as to being homosexual. He did not reveal his identity however, because of the backlash he would receive.

Norway

Thomas Berling retired from professional football after coming out in 2000, citing widespread homophobia in the football community as the reason.[144]

Several female players have come out as homosexual, including Bente Nordby and Linda Medalen.[145]

In June 2015, a

1. divisjon match.[146]

In October 2016, Stabæk Fotball became the first European club to host a pride parade preceding their home fixture against Sarpsborg 08. The team continues to host a pride parade preceding a home fixture each season.[147]

Qatar

Ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, LGBT fans were told to be "respectful of the host nation" by British politician James Cleverly; same-sex activity is illegal in Qatar.[148] LGBT organisations in England called on pubs and bars not to stream games.[149][150]

Saudi Arabia

In July 2023 English player Jordan Henderson, known for his support of LGBT rights, was criticised for signing for a Saudi Arabian club.[151]

Scotland

In May 2019, Hibernian chief executive Leeann Dempster, a lesbian, said that Scottish football was ready for its first publicly gay player.[152]

In June 2019,

LGBT rainbow details, becoming the first Scottish club to do so.[153][154][155][156]

In June 2022, Scottish referees Craig Napier and Lloyd Wilson came out as gay.[157][158]

In September 2022, Zander Murray became the first openly gay male senior player in Scotland.[159] He later said he was "blown away" by the support he had received.[160] In December 2023 he announced that he would be retiring.[161]

South Africa

South Africa women's national football team, was an openly lesbian player who was raped and murdered for being gay.[162][163]

Phuti Lekoloane was an openly gay male player who played in the South African third division.[164]

Spain

In 1934, Ana María Martínez Sagi, partner of writer Elisabeth Mulder, became a Director of FC Barcelona, the first woman to do so in Spanish football's history.[165]

The first gay and lesbian football supporters' group to be officially accepted by a Spanish club was founded in February 2009, and supports FC Barcelona.[166]

A popular football chant in Spanish stadiums is maricón, a slur for a gay man.[166]

Spanish women's international Laura del Río is a lesbian.[167]

Atlético Madrid football player Rafael Rodríguez Rapún (1912–1937) was poet Federico García Lorca's partner in life.[168]

Referee Jesús Tomillero, the first to come out as gay, received police protection over homophobic death threats.[169]

In October 2022, Iker Casillas tweeted that he was gay, before later deleting the tweet. He said he was hacked and apologised.[170][171] Carles Puyol replied to the tweet in a joking manner, and later apologised for doing so;[172] Puyol had been a vocal public supporter of the Barcelona women's team,[173] with players suggesting they would speak with him on the matter.[174]

Sweden

Swedish football Division 2 side.[175]

Turkey

Halil İbrahim Dinçdağ was a referee with the Turkey Football Federation for 13 years, but was sacked from this position due to his homosexuality. The Trabzon Board of Referees and the Turkish Football Association decided that he was not eligible for the role as he was previously excused from the military service for being homosexual. The Board of Referees has an association policy that excludes those that having not completed the military duties due to a mental illness (including homosexuality) are ineligible as referees, although normally homosexuality is not considered as such by the Turkish constitution.[176] The Turkish Football Federation was fined 23,000 after the incident.[177]

One of Turkey's famous football commentators, Erman Toroğlu, argued that he should not be given his referee position back due to the professional reasons such as the possibility for making wrong decisions related to his homosexuality.[178]

In an interview with the Turkish journalist Canan Danyıldız, one of the famous Turkish football managers, Yılmaz Vural, was asked about the presence of LGBT people in Turkish football. He said that although he has never witnessed any homosexual interaction in the locker rooms, he knows that there exist gay football players in the Turkish League. He added that he does not believe homosexuality inhibits the talents of the players and that everyone should be free to live their personal lives the way that they want to. He finalized his words by saying that gay Turkish football players can never come out of the closet since everyone knows about the case of the former referee Dinçdağ.[179]

Another important interview about LGBT people in Turkish Football was held between the journalist Elif Korap and the famous former football player and present football commentator Rıdvan Dilmen. When he was asked whether or not he knew of any gay Turkish football players, his answer was straightforward: "Of course, as there are in any other profession." Dilmen criticized other people in the Turkish football industry for not admitting the presence of LGBT people, since they are afraid of being considered as homosexual as well. Although Dilmen said that he does not approve the discrimination against the LGBT people in the Turkish football, on contrary, he argued that he would still disinherit his own kid for being gay once he was reminded about a negative comment he made during an interview in 1989.[180]

In 2021, was reported that Galatasaray S.K. midfielder Taylan Antalyalı received homophobic abuse on Twitter for wearing a pride-themed T-shirt.[181]

United States and Canada

Former

Radio Canada that was published on 10 November 2011.[182]

On 15 February 2013, midfielder

Los Angeles Galaxy.[185] Rogers stated in December 2013 that he had not received any contact from other, secretly, gay players.[186]

In October 2020,

San Diego Loyal FC player Collin Martin, who is openly gay, accused a Phoenix Rising FC opposition player of homophobic abuse in a match.[187] San Diego Loyal walked off in protest, forfeiting the game.[188] A few days later Phoenix Rising player Junior Flemmings received a six-match ban for the incident,[189] and was placed by Phoenix Rising officials on administrative leave for the remainder of his contract term, which concludes on 30 November 2020.[190] Flemmings has denied making the alleged comments.[191]

Several female players have come out as LGBT as well. Megan Rapinoe, Abby Wambach, and Ali Krieger are notable examples.[192]

List of LGBT footballers

Male

Name Nationality Career Date of coming out Notes & references
Justin Fashanu  England 1978–1997 1990 [30]
Thomas Berling  Norway 1999–2001 2001 [193]
Marcus Urban  Germany 1990–1991 2007 [194]
Olivier Rouyer  France 1973–1990 2008 [97]
Anton Hysén
 Sweden 2008– 2011 [175]
David Testo  United States 2003–2011 2011 [182]
Robbie Rogers  United States 2005–2017 2013 [183]
Thomas Hitzlsperger  Germany 2001–2013 2014 [127]
Liam Davis  England 2009– 2014 [195]
Phuti Lekoloane  South Africa 2010– 2015 [196]
Collin Martin  United States 2013– 2018 [197]
Matt Pacifici  United States 2016 2019 [198]
Andy Brennan  Australia 2010– 2019 [9][199]
Thomas Beattie  England 2008–2015 2020 [47]
Stephen Laybutt  Australia 1995–2010 2020 [200]
Josh Cavallo  Australia 2017– 2021 [11]
Jake Daniels  England 2022– 2022 [53]
Richarlyson  Brazil 2002–2021 2022 [17]
Emerson Ferretti  Brazil 1991–2007 2022 [201]
Zander Murray
 Scotland 2009– 2022 [202]
Jakub Jankto  Czech Republic 2015– 2023 First male footballer to come out while an active international player.[26]

Female

Name Nationality Career Notes & references
Casey Stoney  England 1994–2018 Former England and Great Britain captain[203]
Nilla Fischer  Sweden 1998–2022 [204]
Anneli Andelén  Sweden ?–2000 Former Sweden women's national football team international.[205]
Nathalie Geeris  Netherlands ?–2000 Former Netherlands women's national football team international[205]
Marta  Brazil 2000– Brazil women's national football team player.[206]
Jess Fishlock  Wales 2002– Wales women's national football team player.[207]
Kirsty Yallop  New Zealand 2004–2018 Former New Zealand women's national football team international.[208]
Ali Krieger  United States 2005–2019 Former United States women's national soccer team international.[209]
Francielle  Brazil 2006–2018 Former Brazil women's national football team international[210]
Ruesha Littlejohn  Ireland 2006– [134]
Tameka Yallop  Australia 2007– Australia women's national soccer team player.[208]
Lisa Evans  Scotland 2008– Scotland women's national football team international[211]
Michelle Heyman  Australia 2008– Australia women's national soccer team player.[212]
Sam Kerr  Australia 2008– Australia women's national soccer team captain.[212]
Toni Pressley  United States 2008– [206]
Daniëlle van de Donk  Netherlands 2008– Olympique Lyonnais and Netherlands women's national football team international.[213]
Ashlyn Harris  United States 2009–2020 Former United States International Women's Team player.[209]
Mapi León  Spain 2009– FC Barcelona and Spain women's national football team player.[214]
Kelley O'Hara  United States 2009– United States women's national soccer team player.[215]
Megan Rapinoe  United States 2009– United States women's national soccer team player[216]
Alba Redondo  Spain 2009– Spain women's national football team international.[217]
Andressa Alves  Brazil 2010– Brazil women's national football team international.[210]
Angharad James  Wales 2010– Wales women's national football team player.[218]
Manuela Zinsberger  Austria 2010– Arsenal W.F.C. player and Austria women's national football team international.[211]
Chloe Logarzo  Australia 2011– Australia women's national soccer team player.[212]
Noelle Maritz  Switzerland 2011– Arsenal W.F.C. player and Switzerland women's national football team international.[211]
Katie McCabe  Ireland 2011– [219]
Beth Mead  England 2011– England women's national football team and Arsenal player[220]
Viviane Miedema  Netherlands 2011– Netherlands women's national football team and Arsenal player[221]
Kristie Mewis  United States 2013– United States women's national soccer team player.[222]
Abbey-Leigh Stringer  England 2014– [211]
Claudia Walker  England 2014– [211]
Ellie Carpenter  Australia 2015– Olympique Lyonnais and Australia women's national soccer team player.[213]
Teresa Abelleira  Spain 2016– Spain women's national football team and former Galicia women's national football team international. She has received much homophobic abuse, vocally fighting against homophobia in Spain.[223][224]
Lauren Hemp  England 2016– England national team player.[225]
Isibeal Atkinson  Ireland 2017– Republic of Ireland women's national football team international.[211]

Non-Binary

Name Nationality Career Notes & References
Quinn  Canadian 2013– Canada women's national soccer team player. [226]
Grace Wilson  Australia 2017– Australia women's national under-20 soccer team player. [227]

See also

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Further reading

In German