The Germany men’s national team head coach Julian Nagelsmann has spoken out in favor of an open approach to homosexuality in football following the coming out of FC St. Pauli’s youth coach Christian Dobrick. “I think it’s very sad that we still have to discuss this,” Nagelsmann said in an interview with RTL/ntv. “It’s a pity that you have to ask me this question.” Homosexuality, to him, is something entirely normal.
In society the topic is already more firmly anchored, the 38-year-old Nagelsmann said. “In football it’s probably going to take a little longer. I don’t think that’s right.” He himself has gay friends in his own circle and knows what it’s like when you spend a long time in your life feeling you can’t talk about it or live it openly. “That’s torture.”
Nagelsmann praises Dobrick’s courage
The national team coach praised Dobrick’s coming out. “I think it’s good that he gathered the courage to do it. For him it’s a great relief.”
Recently St. Pauli’s U19 coach publicly disclosed his homosexuality and tied it to criticism of male top-flight football. “In professional football, gays are still regarded as outsiders,” said the 29-year-old youth coach of the Hamburg-based club in interviews with Stern and RTL. Thus the pressure in the industry is high to lead a heteronormative life.”
Homosexuality remains a taboo topic in men’s professional football, even though fan representatives in particular advocate for a more open approach. In the top three German leagues there has been no coming out by an active professional player. In women’s football, by contrast, a player’s sexual orientation has long ceased to be a matter.
Nagelsmann had already in 2019 — at that time still as coach of the top club RB Leipzig — encouraged gay footballers to come out: “Generally I believe that if you are not allowed to reveal your sexuality, you cannot live freely,” he said at the time (TheColu.mn reported).
