Iker Casillas appears to come out, then deletes Tweet and says he was hacked.
Spanish footballer Iker Casillas today (October 9) appeared to come out on Twitter, which many were saying would make the player one of the highest-profile footballers ever to be openly gay.
In a tweet on Sunday afternoon, the ex-goalkeeper said: “I hope you respect me: I’m gay.”
Former Spanish team-mate Carles Puyol, with whom Casillas won the World Cup in 2010, replied to his tweet, saying “It’s time to tell our story, Iker.”
After making the Twitter statement, the 41-year-old was met with a mixture of support, mostly praising his bravery, or homophobes being – eye roll – homophobic.
However. not all was as it seemed…
Less than two hours later and Casillas, who retired in 2020 after suffering a cardiac arrest during training, had taken his tweet down.
Casillas was married to sports journalist Sara Carbonero for five years before their separation in March 2021, having had two children together, both boys.
The Real Madrid player enjoyed a 23-year professional career but retired in 2020 following his heart-attack.
Shortly after the outpouring of support, LGBTs online then became fuming at the prospect the whole thing was a poorly considered joke.
Including footballer Josh Cavallo, who actually came out last year:
“joking and making fun out of coming out in football is disappointing. 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”
@IkerCasillas and @Carles5puyol joking and making fun out of coming out in football is disappointing. 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 pic.twitter.com/Yp88aQyyTV
— Josh Cavallo (@JoshuaCavallo) October 9, 2022
UPDATE: The footballer has since been to Twitter to say, “Hacked account. Luckily everything in order. Apologies to all my followers. And of course, more apologies to the LGBT community.”
Cuenta hackeada. Por suerte todo en orden. Disculpas a todos mis followers. Y por supuesto, más disculpas a la comunidad LGTB. 🙏
— Iker Casillas (@IkerCasillas) October 9, 2022
Some more reactions below, which give you an idea on the mood of the people, which obviously was…
Days ahead of #nationalcomingoutday and some professional footballers in 2022 still think it’s funny to come out “as a joke”. Ugh Iker Casillas pic.twitter.com/aSUp4yLsa9
— ItsLitGayShit | GaysWhoMemeWell (@itslitgayshitt) October 9, 2022
Thank you Iker Casillas and Carles Puyol for turning coming out into a 'joke' and providing timelines filled with homophobia and hate for gay football fans to read today. 👏👏
What a fantastic joke. Idiots.— Jack Duncan 🏳️🌈 (@JackDunc1) October 9, 2022
Iker Casillas and Carles Puyol's tweets were pathetic and all they've achieved is to embolden the homophobic attitudes that are already rife within football and within football fandom. Slow progress is being made, things like this simply make it even slower.
— Jonny Sharples (@JonnyGabriel) October 9, 2022
– Until 2022 only 1 footballer had come out in pro English football, he killed himself due to homophobia
– 100s/1000s of pro footballers feel unable to be themselves for fear of hate
– Kids turn away from sport because they feel unwelcome
Coming out is no joke, Iker Casillas.— Jack Duncan 🏳️🌈 (@JackDunc1) October 9, 2022
Iker Casillas managed to alienate millions of homophobes, millions of LGBT people, millions of people who think that coming out shouldn’t be “banter,” and probably discouraged a lot of pro footballers from coming out as well.
41 years old.— Zach Lowy (@ZachLowy) October 9, 2022
iker casillas has singlehandedly stopped any professional male footballer from coming out as gay for at least 2 years with that little gag
— mia hates johnny herbert 🇿🇦🏳️⚧️ (@nufcenby) October 9, 2022