Joshua Cavallo, Australia's first active male professional footballer to come out as gay, has said he is engaged following an on-field proposal to his partner at Adelaide United's stadium.
Cavallo, who came out as gay in 2021, thanked the A-League club for helping him prepare the surprise in a post on X.
“Their endless support has meant a lot to me. They have given me a safe space in football, one that I never in my dreams thought could be possible, and they have encouraged me to live every day of my life authentically,” Cavallo wrote.
“It felt good to share this special moment on the field, where it all started.”
Upon coming out in October 2021, Cavallo said he no longer felt shame about his sexuality and the exhaustion of trying to live a “double life.”
“I'm a footballer and I'm gay,” he said in a video posted on Adelaide's social media, garnering support from fellow professionals around the world. “The only thing I want is to play football and be treated equally.”
In January 2022, Cavallo reported anti-gay abuse directed at him during an A-League tie against Melbourne Victory and said he had “no words” to describe his disappointment.
“I'm not going to pretend I didn't see or hear the homophobic abuse at last night's game,” Cavallo said on Instagram. “There are no words to express how disappointed I am.
“This should not be acceptable and we need to do more to hold people accountable.
“I will never apologize for living my truth and, more recently, for who I am outside of football.”
