Craig Foster has applauded Josh Cavallo’s “courageous” Twitter takedown of two Spanish football legends for their “I’m gay” social media debacle this week.
Retired goalkeeper Iker Casillas claimed he had been hacked and apologised to the LGBTQ+ community after a tweet from his official account said: “I hope you respect me: I’m gay. #happysunday.”
Former teammate Carles Puyol responded to the tweet saying: “It’s time to tell our story, Iker” before also backtracking and apologising for his “clumsy joke.”
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Australian Cavallo, who plays for Adelaide United, lashed the duo for their actions.
The 22-year-old Cavallo became the first active male professional footballer to come out as gay last year.
“@IkerCasillas and @Carles5puyol joking and making fun out of coming out in football is disappointing,” Cavallo wrote.
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“It’s a difficult journey that any LGBTQ+ ppl have to go through. To see my role models and legends of the game make fun out of coming out and my community is beyond disrespectful.”
Former Socceroos captain Foster said Cavallo’s comments were impressive for such a young man.
“What that says to me is he’s growing in confidence in himself,” Foster said on Stan Sport FC.
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“Because we can’t underestimate the level of courage that it took for him to do that. One of the reasons why it took so long for Josh and for others, and one of the reasons why we’ve only got two [openly] gay footballers present in the world, is because of this attitude in the game to gay male footballers.
“People can talk about the intent of what Iker did but in football there’s not enough consideration of the actual vulnerable group of people, who are talked about constantly in this way, which puts them under pressure inside and outside dressing rooms.
“So the attitude of football towards the LGBTI community has a long way to go. It doesn’t help that the World Cup is going to be in a country (Qatar) that has criminalised the LGBTI community, which really demonstrates a lack of commitment.
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“And these are moments when footballers all around the world can see what’s happened here. Iker Casillas, while he says he was hacked, has tried to make some form of apology. Let’s hope that he makes a fulsome one.
“This is the construct of the game and we need to do much, much, much better for people like Josh Cavallo and every Josh Cavallo in dressing rooms around the world.”
Casillas split from his wife Sara Carbonero earlier this year.
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The tweet came a day after Spanish media reported that he was in a relationship with a local actress.
“I don’t know Iker Casillas particularly well but I know him and he’s not that type of person,” former Manchester United goalkeeper Mark Bosnich said on Stan Sport FC.
“He’ll be mortified that he’s upset any type of group.”
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