Czech Republic star comes out as gay on Twitter (video)

A high-profile Czech Republic international football star yesterday came out as gay.

Getafe midfielder Jakub Jankto, currently on loan at Czech side Sparta Prague, announced in a video on Twitter: “I no longer want to hide myself.”

The 27 year old who has made 45 appearances for the Czech national side, previously played for Italian clubs Sampdoria, and Udinese.

Jankto said in his Twitter video…

“Hi, I am Jakub Jankto. Like everyone else, I have my strengths, I have my weaknesses, I have a family, I have my friends. I have a job, which I’ve been doing as best as I can for years with seriousness, professionalism and passion.

“Like everybody else, I also want to live my life with freedom, without fears, without prejudice, without violence, but with love. I am homosexual, and I no longer want to hide myself.”

Sparta Prague released a statement in support of Jankto’s decision to come out…

“Jakub spoke openly about his sexual orientation with the club some time ago. Everything else concerns his personal life. No further comments. No more questions. You have our support. Live your life, Jakub. Nothing else matters.”

The official Premier League Twitter account replied and also supported Jankto’s message…

“We’re with you, Jakub. Football is for everyone,” while Fifpro, the global union for players, tweeted “Live your life, Jakub. Proud” along with a heart emoji.

Czech Republic midfielder Jakub Jankto has become one of the most high-profile male footballers to come out as gay.

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— Sky News (@SkyNews) February 13, 2023

Despite the increased visibility of LGBTQ+ players in women’s football, it remains uncommon for male professional players to openly come out as gay. Josh Cavallo, who plays for Adelaide United in Australia, made history in 2021 as the only openly gay player in a top men’s league.

In the same year, Jake Daniels of Blackpool broke barriers as the first active male professional player in the UK to publicly announce his sexuality.

One of the most high-profile players to have played in the Premier League and come out as gay was former Aston Villa, Bayern Munich, and West Ham midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger. Hitzlsperger won over 50 caps for his native Germany and came out as gay after he retired from football in 2014.

Ex-Norwich City and Nottingham Forest striker Justin Fashanu was the first professional footballer to come out as gay in October 1990.

Fashanu claimed to have had an affair with a married Conservative MP who he first met in a London gay bar. Fashanu’s former manager Brian Clough famously described him as a “bloody poof.”

On the morning of May 3, 1998, he was found hanged in a deserted lock-up garage he had broken into, in London, after visiting Chariots Roman Spa, a local gay sauna. In his suicide note, he stated: “I realised that I had already been presumed guilty. I do not want to give any more embarrassment to my friends and family.

In October, former Spain international goalkeeper Iker Casillas caused a social media storm when he allegedly announced he is “gay” on Twitter.

Understandably there was a backlash from some members of the LGBTQ+ community who were furious about the “I’m gay” tweet. He later apologised saying his Twitter account had been hacked.