Frank Lampard: I would love to see a gay footballer come out
Frank Lampard has said he would love to see an openly gay Premiership footballer.
The former England midfielder, who has spent 20 years playing professional football, made the comments while appearing on Alan Carr’s Chatty Man.
The TV host has asked him: ‘Do you think we will ever see a gay footballer? Statistically there should be loads. One in ten are gay aren’t they? Fifty-thousand professional footballers, one of them must be.
The footballer said: “I think a lot of the problem is, as you say, it’s a fact that it will be out there, as it is in all modern life at all times, but I think we are probably at fault as a sport.
“I think that it’s that old syndrome where it’s a man’s game and you can’t talk about that. I have to say the game’s changing a lot.
“There are a lot of campaigns. I feel it in the dressing room. There’s a different feel about it.
“I would love it if someone came out and everyone treated it with respect. You know that thing about ‘we’re macho we play football’, is very old hat.”
Leeds player Robbie Rogers came out while retiring from English football in 2013 – thought he later signed with LA Galaxy in the US – while former Arsenal star Thomas Hitzlsperger also came out after retiring last year.
No Premiership player has come out and continued playing since Justin Fashanu did so in 1990.
Mr Fashanu suffered strong homophobic abuse from crowds – later committing suicide in 1998, amid allegations of sexual assault.