Gay male professional footballer Josh Cavallo has proposed to his partner Leighton Morrell.
Expressing his emotions he said “it felt right to share this special moment on the pitch”.
The 24-year-old thanked his A-League club Adelaide United for their help after getting engaged and for providing “a safe space in football” for him when he officially came out as gay
Cavallo posted pictures of the proposal on social media at the stadium where he has played since 2021.
He wrote: “Thank you Adelaide United for helping set up this surprise.
“Your endless support has meant so much to me. You have provided a safe space in football, one that I never in my dreams thought could ever be possible, and encouraged me to live every day of my life authentically.
“It felt right to share this special moment on the pitch, where it all started.” he said
Cavallo posted a video on social media in October 2021 in which he said he was gay, saying he was “ready to speak about something personal that I’m finally comfortable to talk about in my life”.
His post inspired Blackpool player Jake Daniels to come out in 2022. Daniels is UK’s only openly gay active male professional footballer.
In February 2023 Czech Republic midfielder Jakub Jankto came out. The 28-year-old plays in Italy for Serie A club Cagliari.