Iker Casillas, one of the best goalkeepers of all time, is renowned for his celestial acrobat skills and flabbergasting saves. The World cup winning keeper and captain has spent the majority of his club days at Real Madrid. 

Despite the fact that he is well known for his athleticism, he has recently been in the news for a different issue. It was connected to a tweet he published on his account where he claimed to be gay.

Casillas wrote, “I hope I’ll be respected: I’m gay.”

In response, former Barcelona captain Carles Puyol replied: “The time has come to tell our story, Iker.” The tweet and Puyol’s comment has already surprised the sports world.

Shortly after posting, he removed it, and he later apologized. “Hacked account. Luckily everything in order. Apologies to all my followers. And of course, more apologies to the LGBT community,” he wrote.

Puyol later expressed regret on Twitter, writing: “I messed up. I apologize for making an awkward joke that wasn’t at all mean but was completely out of order.”

However, their humorous conduct has already irritated the LGBTA+ community because this kind of fun is offensive to that specific community. This is what some of the key players had to say.

Josh Cavallo of Adelaide United, who came out as homosexual last year, says it was “disappointing” to see two major figures in the sport “joking” about the subject.

“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,” Cavallo wrote on Twitter, before Casillas claimed he was hacked. He also wrote, “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

— Josh Cavallo (@JoshuaCavallo) October 9, 2022

After the first posts drew numerous homophobic comments, Atalanta midfielder Marten de Roon tweeted, “Yes, we’re on top of the league (for now). More importantly, social media today still shows how far from reality we are. Whether Casillas was hacked or not: I see too many posts that are far off. Waiting for the day this wouldn’t be news, ‘cause actually that’s the problem here.”

Yes, we’re on top of the league (for now). More importantly, social media today still shows how far from reality we are. Whether Casillas was hacked or not: I see too many posts that are far off. Waiting for the day this wouldn’t be news, ‘cause actually that’s the problem here.

— Marten de Roon (@Dirono) October 9, 2022

The two guys were charged with “fueling homophobia in the game” by football referee Ryan Atkin, who also happens to be queer. Atkin said the two should “hang their head in shame.” The “flippancy of the tweets… and the feeble backtrack” were criticized by the networking group Sports Media LGBT+.

Despite the fact that there are still few openly gay players playing in the men’s game, considerable progress has been made recently. After retiring from football in 2012, Thomas Hitzlsperger, a former midfielder for Germany and Aston Villa, made a public appearance. Robbie Rogers, a former midfielder for Leeds, followed suit the following year and ultimately decided against retiring in order to play for the LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer.