13-08-2025
Gay footballer says some top players 'faking girlfriends' to hide sexuality
Ex-German footballer Marcus Urban has opened up about the reality of gay players in the sport, revealing that some have resorted to having pretend girlfriends or entering fake marriages to conceal their true sexuality. The former midfielder discusses this issue in his upcoming book.
Urban, who played for Rot-Weiss Erfurt in the 1980s and early '90s and represented East Germany's youth team, hung up his boots in 1991. He came out to his loved ones years later and went public with his sexuality in 2007.
Now 54, he's an advocate for diversity in sports.
His insights are part of the soon-to-be-released book "Mensch Fussballstar."
Ahead of the book's release, German tabloid Bild has shared snippets where Urban reflects: "Yes, I was the first gay footballer in Germany to come out at the time. When Thomas Hitzlsperger came out, it was thought that it could be a turning point.", reports the Express.
"But it wasn't really right. Thomas also seems surprised to me that no one actually comes out any further, not even those after their career. There is no reason to hide anymore." New book, Mensch Fussballstar, features ex-football players discussing different subjects (Image: GETTY)
Urban continues by saying: "Many gay footballers have organized themselves in the background in the meantime. In groups of between 20 and 40 people.
"But it is only the tip of the iceberg. Many are lone wolves, do their own thing and we don't even know about many of them yet.
"Because yes, even today fear still too often beats courage. The fear results from losing the job, losing the reputation.
"The people around the players who tell them they shouldn't come out, they shouldn't live freely so that they can continue to make money."
He then stated: "In the past, it was always said that the media and fans were to blame for the fact that no one came out. I think today it's just the fears of the players and the people around them, at least here, where we are, in the middle of Europe.
"I think almost all the media would support it. I also honestly believe that the fans would no longer be the problem. Neither do the clubs. Today, it's more about the internal climate.
"And then there are again branches of business within the organised gay footballers. Fake girlfriends are organised, sham marriages are arranged.
"At the same time, there are agencies that set up sex meetings. They also earn good money with it again. But the players' advisors also organise this partly for their clients and then have the players in their hands."
