Dylan Bettencourt
Jake Daniels has become the first professional football player since Justin Fashanu in 1990 to come out as gay in the United Kingdom.
The 17-year-old, who only made his senior debut for Blackpool football club this month, said he is ready to act as a leader and a role model.
“I feel like I am ready to tell my story. I want people to know the real me and now is the time to do it,” he said.
The Blackpool striker said he became aware of his sexuality at the age of six but kept it a secret as he pursued his football dream.
“For a long time I thought I would have to hide my feelings because I wanted to be a professional footballer. Now I am one,” Daniels said.
“I asked myself if I should wait until I’ve retired to come out. No other player in the professional game here has come out.”
The teenager hopes that his decision to reveal his sexuality would inspire others to feel they can do it too.
“I am clear that this is what I want to do. If other people look at me and think: ‘This kid is brave enough to do this, I will be able to do it too,’ that would be brilliant.”
Last year Australian footballer Josh Cavallo became the only male footballer in professional football to come out as gay.
Daniels becomes the first footballer since then to reveal his sexuality.
The last footballer to reveal he was gay in the United Kingdom, Justin Fashanu, came out at the end of his career before taking his own life eight years later.
Amal Fashanu, Justin’s niece, said Daniels’ decision to reveal his truth comes as a huge comfort to the many footballers at all levels of the game who are still secretly living as gay and feel unable to come out.
Image source: @SkyNews
