Neuer urges gay footballers to come out
Manuel Neuer has urged homosexual footballers to stop hiding their sexuality.
He told a German celebrity magazine that coming out would lift a great weight from gay players' shoulders, and that fans would soon accept it.
"Yes, those who are gay should say so. It relieves a burden," said Manuel Neuer in the magazine Bunte.
"And the fans will get over it quickly. What matters is the performance delivered by the player, not his sexual preference."
While homosexuality is a big taboo across the game of football, in Germany the subject is being increasingly acknowledged.
Neuer's comments follow on from those of Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez last November.
"They would play as if they had been liberated," Gomez said at the time. "Being gay should no longer be a taboo topic."
Former second division footballer Marcus Urban is the only German footballer ever to come out, but he only did so in 2007, several years after his retirement.
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 6 | June 26, 2018 4:47 PM
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Some fans would accept it immediately. And it would do a lot for gay rights awareness everywhere because soccer is so HUGE globally.
But a lot of the big soccer countries are VERY Catholic and it would be a problem for some of those players
by Anonymous | reply 1 | June 26, 2018 4:24 PM
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I only came to DL to have a good time tonight and now I feel personally attacked.
by Anonymous | reply 2 | June 26, 2018 4:28 PM
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[quote]"They would play as if they had been liberated," Gomez said at the time.
Money smells way better than freedom.
by Anonymous | reply 3 | June 26, 2018 4:31 PM
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What's the big deal with sports figures coming out? Why not accountants or garbage men?
I mean, I TOTALLY know why, but....yeah, how come?
by Anonymous | reply 4 | June 26, 2018 4:33 PM
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It's people with a high profile R4. Not just sports people but all manner of celebrities
by Anonymous | reply 5 | June 26, 2018 4:37 PM
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It would be nice to visit the alternate universe where Neuer lives.
by Anonymous | reply 6 | June 26, 2018 4:47 PM
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