Adelaide United footballer Josh Cavallo has announced his engagement to his fiancé Leighton Morrell, after getting down on one knee on the pitch in a heartwarming moment at the team’s home stadium.
“Starting this year with my fiancé,” Cavallo wrote on a post on Twitter, accompanied with photos of him proposing to Morrell in the middle of the field.
The A-League player went on to thank the club, saying they made a “safe space” for him in football.
“Thank you Adelaide United for helping set up this surprise,” he said.
“Your endless support has meant so much to me. You have provided a safe space in football, one that I never in my dreams thought could ever be possible, and encouraged me to live every day of my life authentically.
“It felt right to share this special moment on the pitch, where it all started.”
My heart…
Cavallo has played for Adelaide United since 2021, and came out publicly over Instagram that same year. At the time, he was one of only a handful of gay football players to do so in the world, and said he hoped it would help others in sport come to terms with their sexuality.
“Being a gay closeted footballer, I’ve had to learn to mask my feelings in order to fit the mould of a professional footballer,” he said at the time.
“Growing up being gay and playing football were just two worlds that hadn’t crossed paths before.
“I’ve lived my life assuming that this was a topic never to be spoken about. In football, you only have a small window to achieve greatness, and coming out publicly may have a negative impact on a career.”
His post inspired Blackpool player Jake Daniels, who came out in 2022 and is the UK’s only openly gay active male professional footballer. He was also the first UK player to come out since 1990.
In February 2023, Czech Republic midfielder Jakub Jankto also came out. The 28-year-old currently plays for Serie A club Cagliari in Italy.
Cavallo is of course known for being proudly outspoken, and no doubt his proposal on the pitch will only help inspire more sportspeople to feel comfortable as who they are and in their teams.
