Photograph by Wikimedia/Egghead06
Former West Ham and Aston Villa football star Thomas Hitzlsperger has announced that he is gay, one of the world’s most high profile footballers to do so.
The retired German midfielder, 31, told the Die Zeit newspaper that he had “never been ashamed” of his sexuality, but understanding it was a long and difficult process, and he only recently realized that he would prefer to live with a man.
Hitzlsperger said that homosexuality largely “ignored” in football, but the “beautiful game” is one of the last major sports in which very few top-flight players have come out as gay during their careers. Former Norwich and Nottingham Forest footballer Justin Fashanu came out as gay in 1990, but sadly committed suicide in 1998, and Leeds player Robbie Rogers quit football after revealing he was gay last year after fearing a backlash from fans.
Hitzlsperger played for Aston Villa, West Ham, and Everton, as well as representing Germany 52 times throughout his career.
