English footballer Jake Daniels is the first openly gay footballer in the UK since 1990. His announcement is now a significant trailblazing moment for the European football as the 17-year-old revealed the news. The 17-year-old who plays for 2nd decision side Blackpool in English football just finished his debut season.
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Jake in a statement said, "This season has been a fantastic one for me on the pitch. But off the pitch I've been hiding the real me and who I really am. I've known my whole life that I'm gay, and I now feel that I'm ready to come out and be myself."
While women's football has several LGBTQ+ players, the men's game lacks players who are publicly gay. Daniels said he was inspired by Josh Cavallo of Australian football team Adelaide United who is the only openly gay man currently playing in a top division football team across the world.
While the move attracted a lot of trolls on social media, the English Football Association or the FA came out in support of the 17-year-old, “This is a hugely positive step as we strive to build an inclusive game that we can all be proud of,” the governing body tweeted. Jake's teammates at Blackpool are also backing the footballer and have promised to continue their support for the young star.