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Hitzlsperger in July 2023 with VfB Stuttgart players: “The time is ripe”
Photo: Press photo Rudel / Robin Rudel / Sportfoto Rudel / IMAGO
Former national soccer player Thomas Hitzlsperger publicly acknowledged his homosexuality ten years ago - shortly after the end of his career. Now, on the occasion of the anniversary, Hitzlsperger has indicated that some professionals are not waiting as long as him: "We hear that active players are about to come out," said the 41-year-old in an interview with the "Süddeutsche Zeitung."
»Then there are new faces who can tell their own stories. That would be great,” added Hitzlsperger. So far he remains the only German professional who is openly gay. In the past ten years, not a single active player has contacted him, Hitzlsperger told the newspaper.
Something has happened in football, said the ex-professional and combined this with an appeal: There is no Bundesliga club without a gay and lesbian fan club, many clubs take part in Christopher Street Day, the trade press reports and organizes solidarity actions. »I often hear from journalists that the DFB and the clubs need to do a lot more. But no, they're already doing enough," says Hitzlsperger, "it's now really up to the players to realize: the time is ripe."
He actually wanted to take the step back in 2012, while he was still playing. However, a media lawyer from whom he wanted to seek advice on how to proceed strongly advised him against it. Since he was in a sporting crisis at the time and had hardly played, he ultimately postponed his coming out: "I wanted to go out there confidently, with a strength."
The biggest obstacle, according to Hitzlsperger, were the other football professionals: “It was always said that the media was the problem, the sponsors, the fans. But that wasn't it at all. I just felt uncomfortable in the cabin." There were blatantly derogatory statements about gays there - and he himself remained silent about them: "Because I was totally insecure. My voice would have trembled so much, I would have almost forced myself out.”
In the interview, Hitzlsperger also spoke about the debates about diversity and human rights in connection with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar - and about corresponding statements from DFB sports director Rudi Völler or FC Bayern official Uli Hoeneß: "Some of those responsible The older generation may be annoyed by this discussion," said Hitzlsperger, "we all have to put up with the fact that I disagree with Uli Hoeneß, Rudi Völler or Karl-Heinz Rummenigge on certain points." But the trend cannot be reversed: "For that the fans have too much influence. The clubs want paying fans who buy tickets, and if the majority of those people find the issues of diversity and sustainability important, they will act accordingly.
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