Latest news with #MarcusUrban
Irish Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
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."
Daily Mail
12-08-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Secretly gay footballers are arranging 'fake girlfriends and fake marriages' - and there are gay couples in Europe's top leagues - claims Germany's first player to come out
A retired footballer, who was the first male player to come out as gay in Germany, has claimed that secretly gay players across Europe's top leagues are arranging 'fake girlfriends and fake marriages' in order to hide their sexuality. Marcus Urban, 54, came out publicly in 2007, some 16 years after he kicked a football for the final time, and is now spokesperson on LGBTQ + issues within the sport. On August 18, Swiss broadcaster Andreas Boni's book, Mensch Fußballstar, translated to Human Football Star, will be published. German legend Lothar Matthaus and FIFA president Gianni Infantino are among many big names from within the sport who speak about 'taboo' topics within the book. Prior to its release, German media outlet BILD has managed to obtain an extract from Urban, in which he discusses how and why gay footballers continue to hide their sexuality from the public. He suggests that there are homosexual couples within the Bundesliga, but their own 'fears', not the opinions of the media, are stopping them from coming out. 'It used to be said that the media and fans were to blame for no one coming out,' Urban said. 'I think today it's just the fears of the players and the people around them, at least where we are, in the heart of Europe. The 54-year-old believes there are gay couples in the Bundesliga but they are hiding due to their own 'fears' 'I think almost all the media would support it. I also honestly believe that the fans are no longer the problem. The clubs hardly are either. It's more about the internal climate these days. 'And then there are also business ventures within organized gay football. Fake girlfriends are organized, fake marriages are arranged. 'At the same time, there are agencies that organize sex encounters. They also make good money from this. But the players' agents also sometimes organize this for their clients and then have the players in their hands. 'There are also gay couples in the Bundesliga, and they're very nice and very pretty. And maybe the day will come when they come out.' Last year, it was reported that a group of professionals across Germany were set to publicly declare their sexual orientation. Urban, who is the co-founder of Diversero, a global community for diversity, expressed his hope for the plans to come into fruition at the time. However, they never did, and Urban believes that the players in question were given guidance against revealing their sexuality by advisors close to them. 'The players are repeatedly thwarted in their desire for freedom,' he continued. 'There were some who wanted to come out. For example, we planned a day of coming out on May 17, 2024. In the end, no one dared. 'There are still too many people around them who advised them against it. Media lawyers, advisors, family – people who are basking in their money and fame and projecting their misguided pseudo-care and their own fears onto the players.'
