Britain’s Prince William offered praise and support to Jake Daniels after the Blackpool forward came out as gay, saying he hoped the ground-breaking decision would serve as an inspiration.
Daniels, 17, announced on Monday that he is gay, becoming the first active male professional soccer player in Britain to do so since the late Justin Fashanu in 1990.
“What Jake has done takes courage and will hopefully help break down barriers that have no place in our society,” William wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. “I hope his decision to speak openly gives others the confidence to do the same ... Football should be a game for everyone.”
Daniels, who said he wanted to become a role model for others, has also received support from a number of current and former players, including ex-Germany international Thomas Hitzlsperger who came out in 2013 after retiring.
“Well done @Jake_Daniels11 Have a wonderful career! Great to see the support of @BlackpoolFC and @stonewalluk to make this possible,” Hitzlsperger wrote on Twitter.
