Controversy Surrounding Player Atmosphere in Bundesliga; Gay Couples in Spotlight
German Football Pioneer Marcus Urban Advocates for LGBTQ+ Acceptance
Marcus Urban, the first male player to come out as homosexual in German professional football, has called for a change in the culture of men's football regarding the discussion and acceptance of homosexuality. In an excerpt from the upcoming book "Human Football Star", Urban expressed his hopes for more professionals to openly acknowledge their sexuality, similar to the level of acceptance in women's football.
Urban, a former youth national player in Germany and player for Rot-Weiß Erfurt, highlighted the immense pressure that professionals in men's football face to hide their sexuality, which can lead to stress and secrecy. He described the strain of "pretending to be something he was not 24 hours a day" as a significant burden, contributing to his early retirement from professional prospects.
The former player noted that while media, fans, and clubs are perceived barriers, the reality is that closeted players still feel the need for extreme secrecy—such as fake girlfriends or sham marriages—to protect themselves. This environment discourages many from publicly coming out, and despite organized efforts to encourage openness, no current Bundesliga player has come out recently.
Urban estimated that the size of organized groups of professionals in men's football who are open about their sexuality ranges from 20 to 40 individuals. However, he emphasized that the number of professionals who are open about their sexuality is only the tip of the iceberg, implying a larger, unknown number of closeted professionals.
One of the reasons Urban believes football professionals in Germany still do not publicly acknowledge their sexuality is due to homophobic statements, such as those made by former Wolfsburg player Kevin Behrens. Behrens refused to sign a rainbow-colored jersey and made a homophobic remark, causing a stir. Later, Behrens apologized for his comments.
Urban's goal is to achieve a level of acceptance in men's football where professionals can openly discuss and acknowledge their sexuality, similar to the level of acceptance in women's football. He aims for a culture where professionals can comfortably discuss their relationships and families, just as it is accepted in women's football.
The book "Human Football Star" will be printed by the Bild newspaper on August 18. Urban's comments in the book serve as a call to action for the football community to address the issue of homosexuality and work towards creating a more accepting and inclusive environment for all professionals.
[1] BBC News [2] The Guardian [3] Outsports [4] The Local
Sports, especially football, could greatly benefit from the level of acceptance and open discussion displayed in women's football, as advocated by Marcus Urban, the first male player to come out publicly in German professional football. In an effort to change the culture within men's football, Urban hopes for more professionals to openly acknowledge their sexuality, emulating the acceptance already seen in other aspects of the sport.
