Australian footballer Josh Cavallo, the first openly gay top-flight male professional soccer player, is engaged to Leighton Morrell.

Cavallo proposed at Adelaide United FC's stadium, thanking his team for support during his journey.

Despite facing a mix of support and backlash since coming out in 2021, Cavallo is a key advocate for LGBTQI+ rights in sports.

Other players like Jake Daniels and Jakub Jankto have followed Cavallo's footsteps, coming out as gay in the professional soccer sphere.

Incidents of discriminatory behavior in soccer are on the rise, with a 65.1% increase reported by an English football anti-discrimination group.