Former Aston Villa footballer, Thomas Hitzlsperger, comes out as gay

31year former Aston Villa, Everton, West Ham &
German midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger has come out
as gay. But he waited to retire from football before
revealing his sexual preference.
Hitzlsperger, who retired in September 2013 due to a
knee injury yesterday told a German newspaper
"I'm coming out about my homosexuality
because I want to move the discussion about
homosexuality among professional sportspeople
forwards. In England, Italy & Germany being a
homosexual is no big thing, at least not in the
dressing room"
"The awareness of being gay was a long and
difficult process. Only in recent years has it
dawned on me that I would prefer to live with
another man. I've never been ashamed of my
sexuality"
The first footballer to come out as gay is US footballer
Robbie Rogers who had to leave football after coming
out. Hitzlsperger was probably wise to wait to retire
before revealing this to the world.