Cagliari’s Czech midfielder, Jakub Jankto, has recently spoken out about his decision to publicly announce his homosexuality. The statement was initially made to ESPN.
Jankto stated, “I don’t really know when I decided to do it, my family supported me in every way, there were absolutely no problems.”
His teammates’ reaction to his revelation was also positive. He reported that their response was “completely normal and nothing changed.”
The footballer highlighted the ongoing issues surrounding homosexuality in football, describing it as a rarity, particularly in the male sports world.
According to him, “Football was, and I think still is, somewhat homophobic and I can’t change that alone. Different mentalities exist everywhere, if people feel good being gay or straight they should not have to announce it, as I did.”
Jankto shed light on the overwhelming response his announcement received. “I received millions of messages, it was incredible.” He was notably encouraged by support from global football giants, Real Madrid, Arsenal, and Barcelona, which he found unexpected yet uplifting.
Despite receiving a low of attention and some suggesting him to be a leader for the LGBTQ+ community, Jankto reiterated his focus currently lies solely with his football. “Some people want me as the captain of a certain community, but I want to concentrate only on myself, on Cagliari and perhaps also on the national team,” he explained.