4 hours ago
New Team, New Country, Still 'With My Fiancé at My Side'
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Out gay soccer star Josh Cavallo recently moved on from his Australian team, Adelaide United - and now he's moving on from Australia, UK newspaper the Daily Mail reported.
Cavallo broke new ground when he came out four years ago, the first active top-flight footballer to do so. Several other pro footballers emerged from the closet in his wake, including the UK's Jack Johnson and Czech player Jakub Jankto.
Now Cavallo is blazing a new trail to the UK, "with my fiancé at my side," he said.
The 25-year-old soccer star, who proposed to Leighton Morrell in March of last year on the grounds of the Adelaide team's home field, dropped the bombshell announcement that he and Morrell are leaving Australia in an emotional July 7 message posted to Instagram.
"It's not goodbye forever but now, it's time to leave the nest with my fiancé by my side," the native of Victoria wrote.
"Football and life have taken me further than I ever imagined, and new opportunities have led to a new life waiting for us across the world," Cavallo added. "I never imagined that living my truth would unlock doors from the pitch to every corner of my personal life."
In a shoutout to his fans, Cavallo went on to post, "Whether you've followed my journey from the beginning or found strength in it along the way, your presence has meant more than words can ever say. Especially to the LGBTQ+ community, you are the reason I never gave up. You helped me see that I wasn't alone and that none of us are. For the boy who once looked in the mirror and questioned why he was different, this is proof that you can find your place in this world."
"Goodbye home 🌏❤️," the footballer signed off.
Cavallo also bid a fond farewell to his longtime team recently when his contract expired. His new life in the UK might be, in part, due to the possibility of a new gig: OutSports noted that "various teams [are] already vying to sign him."
Either way, the post drew a groundswell of warm wishes and supportive messages.
"Much love and happiness in the UK," one fan wrote. "Wish that it will soon feel like home to you ❤️😘".
"So proud of you. Congratulations!" another posted.
"Awh let's go!!!" chimed in a third. "See you soon ❤️❤️❤️".
How excited are you to see what's next for Josh Cavallo?
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
