A-League player Josh Cavallo reveals death threats he receives since coming out as gay

Adelaide United defender Josh Cavallo, the first openly gay male professional footballer, says he still receives daily death threats since coming out more than three years ago.

Speaking to FIFPRO's Footballers Unfiltered podcast with former English footballer Joe Hart, Cavallo shared how coming out when he was 21 years old brought a swell of toxicity and negativity into his life.

The player publicly announced he was gay in October 2021, becoming the first footballer to open up about his sexuality while playing in the A-League Men competition.

Almost four years on, the 25-year-old said while coming out publicly was "the best move and decision" he had made, there had been "mountains of downside" that many did not realise.

"Why hasn't this happened in football? Why has no-one ever come out to be themselves and be successful and play?" he told the podcast.

"And I understand that now looking back — all the negativity, all the things that come your way, there's multiple, multiple, multiple death threats that come my way daily still and it's quite sad to see."

Josh Cavallo says he is proud of his representation in the LGBTQ+ community. (Supplied: Adelaide United)

Cavallo said he did not expect the level of toxicity on social media when he first came out publicly.

"In a world of football, being a gay openly player is a very toxic place," he said.

"It's a constant thing for me, unfortunately — I step onto the field or I get injured or something happens in my football, it's all got to do my sexuality.

"I still think we're a very, very long way from being accepted in this space, unfortunately."

Loading...

He told ABC that despite being on the receiving end of abuse, he still had positive experiences meeting people who were inspired and encouraged by his advocacy.

"In my everyday life, I'd be at the local shops, I'd be at the local cafe and a little child would come up to me and know who I am and speak to me and say how I guided them and how I give them the courage to come out at school," he said.

"On the other side … opening my social media this morning, it was quite disturbing reading the comments that got sent my way."

'Weight lifted off my shoulders'

The footballer said before coming out, he felt isolated, would think up cover stories and would not hang out with his teammates in fear of being "caught out in my lies".

"There was a 24/7 act on top of trying to be the best athlete you can possibly be every day for football," he said.

Cavallo said telling his coach and assistant coach, and later his teammates, felt "like 15 kilos of weight has been lifted off my shoulders".

He said when Adelaide United released an emotional video of his announcement in 2021, the post "changed perspectives around the world and definitely took the world of football for a shock".

"It's obviously moved mountains of people and influenced a lot of people and made so much progression within the game and I wouldn't trade it for anything," he said.

In 2022, A-League club Melbourne Victory was handed a $5,000 fine over homophobic abuse from fans directed at Cavallo.

At the time, Football Australia said the Victory had promptly denounced its fans' behaviour and the $5,000 would be used to "further invest in LGBTQ+ awareness and education initiatives in football".

Cavallo said he was proud to be his "authentic self" while playing top-tier football.

"I think football has a space for people like me and I'm really proud to be wearing the flag and really proud to be the representation of LGBTQ+ community," he said.

Click here to read article