Tackling the ultimate taboo: It's time for a Premier League player to come out, says gay Swedish footballer

By Alex Kay

Every day for the past fortnight, Anton Hysen has received dozens of emails from people telling him he is their hero. They have come from Chile, Belgium, America and the UK. 


There are requests for interviews, pleas for autographs and, more than anything else, messages telling him he is an inspiration. Why? Because Hysen is the only footballer in the world brave enough to admit he is gay.


Considering no footballer has come out during their career since Justin Fashanu in 1990, Hysen was going into the unknown when he took on football’s final taboo. 

Breaking new ground: Openly gay footballer Anton Hysen hopes his bold admission will ease the burden on others wanting to do the same

He told the world he was gay in Swedish football magazine Offside a fortnight ago. Remarkably, doing so was not a big deal for the 20-year-old - son of former Liverpool defender Glenn - even if it grabbed the attention of the rest of the world.


‘I started to think I was gay when I was 18,’ says Hysen, a midfielder for his dad’s fourth-tier side Utsiktens in Gothenburg. ‘I had probably known deep down for a lot longer but it was then that I started to think about it more seriously. 


‘I told my cousin first, who is a lesbian. Then I told my mother and my dad, and then my uncle because he’s gay too. I probably went a year between knowing I was gay and telling my parents. I thought, “I don’t care. If they kick me out, then they kick me out. What are they going to say?” ’

Proud parents: Anton's father, former Liverpool defender Glenn, has had no problem adjusting to his son's sexuality

Hysen chats away enthusiastically, with a bizarre American twang. We meet at Utsiktens’ clubhouse and he is free with his time - insisting only that he gets back home in time to watch Liverpool on television. He seems unfazed by his emergence from relative anonymity to being one of the most famous people in Sweden.


‘People say it is horrible living with the secret, but it wasn’t like that for me. If people said, “Look at that girl, she’s hot”, I’d just say, “OK”. 


‘I haven’t had anything negative so far from my family, friends or team-mates. We joke around about it all the time. I was aware that being a gay footballer hadn’t been done often but I figured that is other people’s problem, not mine. I just want to play football.

Difficulties: Justin Fashanu was the first footballer in England to 'come out', but faced real hardship following the announcement

'If people want to call me things, go ahead. I don’t care. I’m still going to play football. I have two managers. My dad was, of course, fine and the other one said that if anybody makes any comments, to tell him and they will be kicked out the team.’


There is no hint of bigotry from his team-mates. Hysen’s only public embarrassment has come from being famous rather than being gay - his ex-girlfriend circulated a nearly naked picture of him online. 


But he sees it as a tiny price to pay, and is hoping others - including players in the Barclays Premier League - follow his example and come out, after Fashanu’s tragic story appeared to have put people off. 


Fashanu came out 21 years ago but struggled to find sufficient support from his family - including brother and England striker John - and eventually committed suicide in 1998 after his career nosedived because of injuries.


‘I know about Justin - tragically,’ he says. ‘My dad had told me what happened. It’s a tragic story. Who turns their back on their own brother like that? It’s really sad. What kind of human being are you if you do that? His story has had a knock-on effect.
‘The reason no footballer has come out since Justin is that they are afraid. Of fans’ reactions, that their families and friends will turn their backs on them. Or they are afraid their football careers are going to disappear. It might not be easy but it’s better to be honest with yourself. 


‘I’m not in a top division so it might be different, but I’m still in a team, still playing football. England is the biggest league in the world and there would be a big pressure to come out over there. 


‘I understand in some ways that somebody wouldn’t come out but you just have to be strong and have the support from your family. I hope someone takes that step.’
It would be a huge step, even taking into consideration the support rugby player Gareth Thomas and cricketer Steven Davies have had since they came out. 


Hysen has yet to see if there will be any fan backlash when the season starts in Sweden. He has only received one negative email since the interview was published.


‘There must be players everywhere in the world who are gay or bisexual. I hope people can learn from this. Some people obviously think it matters that you’re gay but they just need to learn to accept it. They need to learn more about it.


‘Being gay is the one taboo left that sport needs to deal with. I think we’re going in the right direction with Steve Davies and Gareth Thomas - I just hope more people will do it and we can have a brighter future.

One of the group: Anton has received overwhelming support from friends, family and team-mates

‘There is a macho culture. I’ve not seen it yet but you hear about these people who make comments about the showers and stuff. Because people think, “Oh, he’s gay - he must like every guy in the world”. It’s ridiculous. 
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‘It’s a stupid, judgmental stereotype. We have to teach people it’s not like that. People shouldn’t care what you do with your private life. More people have to come out though, first.’ 


That might be more likely in this country if Hysen was playing over here, rather than for his father in the lower leagues of Sweden. 


And that is his ambition, a natural one, since his past and present are so linked to England. He was born in Liverpool during his dad’s time at the club and is still an obsessive fan, bellowing out You’ll Never Walk Alone in tiny clubhouse showers, emerging with a Liverpool towel and speaking of his admiration for Steven Gerrard. 

Solidarity: England's premier gay football club, Stonewall FC, pictured here in 2000 after becoming the world champions of gay football

The dream is to leave his part-time footballer, part-time construction worker life behind and play full time in England. 


‘I was born with a ball. And supporting Liverpool. I lived in England when my dad was playing there and we were supposed to stay, but we moved back to Sweden when I was three. 


‘I wish we’d stayed - I don’t like Sweden at all,’ adds Hysen, who remains single despite his revelation. ‘I’d love to play in England. I trained with Doncaster Rovers a couple of years ago and they invited me back. But I was injured and took too long to recover. Maybe I’ll get back at some point. If a club called me up and asked to come over, I definitely would.’ 


A more immediate return could be to take up the invitation to be the guest of honour at gay football team Stonewall FC’s 20th anniversary celebrations in London. By the time they reach their 25th year, Hysen is hoping he will be just one of many gay men in the game.