In 2013 ex-Leeds United winger Robbie Rogers became only the third professional footballer to ever come out as gay
In February 2013 Robbie Rogers, who left Championship club Leeds by mutual consent in January, came out as homosexual.
The 25-year-old has since taken some time out from the game and has now revealed that the culture in football makes it extremely difficult to come out.
“In football it’s obviously impossible to come out,” the United States international told the Guardian.
“Imagine going to training every day and being in that spotlight? It’s been a bit of a circus anyway.”
Rogers came out this year having already left the Yorkshire club and has returned back to his home nation before deciding when he will return to football.
The winger is only the third professional footballer in history to come out and reveal their homosexuality.
In 1990 former England under-21 international Justin Fashanu revealed himself to be gay, but struggled with the attention given to him and took his own life eight years later aged 37.
Then in 2011 Swedish lower league player Anton Hysen told a magazine in Sweden that he was gay. The son of former Liverpool player Glenn Hysen was the last person to come out before Rogers.
The former Leeds man has also admitted that he is concerned about how his team mates, opposition fans and the media will react to his announcement and whether or not he sees himself as a role-model.
“I might be strong enough but I don’t know if that’s really what I want. I just want to be a footballer.”
The USA winger has 18 caps for his country and has also played for Heerenveen, Columbus Crew and Stevenage in his career.
COMMENTS