Application on the pitch: Adelaide United offered him a “safe space in football,” writes Cavallo. Image: Reuters
The Adelaide United midfielder came out in 2021. Now he has proposed to his partner in an empty stadium.
Josh Cavallo has fought his fair share of battles on the football field. Now the Adelaide United midfielder, who was the first player in the Australian professional league to come out in 2021, has once again set an example on the pitch for more openness in dealing with homosexuality in professional football.
The 24-year-old Australian proposed to his partner Leighton Morrell at Coopers Stadium. It “felt right to share this special moment on the field where it all began,” Cavallo wrote on Instagram. He also thanked his hometown club for “their help with this surprise” and their “endless support.”
Adelaide United offered him a “safe space in football” and enabled him to “live authentically”. Previous entries on his Instagram account show that this was not always easy. In it, the soccer player reported homophobic insults in the stadium.
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