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“You don't belong on this earth” ... “What are you doing here?” ... “Stop breathing.”

After announcing his homosexuality in 2021, footballer the athlete has received daily death threats and abusive messages on social media.

“Upon reading those comments, I was devastated,” Cavallo states. “No-one wants to read things like that.

“I'm working to improve my skills and be the best I can be during matches, and then get put down because of who I am. It's appalling.”

Player the sportsman was playing for Adelaide United back in 2020 when he emerged as the sole publicly out top-flight male professional footballer in the world.

Recently he left Australia to sign with lower-tier club Peterborough Sports, who compete before audiences of about 400 in the sixth division, one level below of English football.

This young athlete combines playing for the Cambridgeshire part-timers by speaking up on inclusion matters and using his profile - boasting over a million followers on Instagram - to promote fairness and acceptance.

“Definitely, there's enormous work ahead,” Cavallo says when asked if football still has a problem with discrimination.

“Rarely a week passes without hearing about an issue.”

‘People want to harm me’

It took years for Cavallo to build up the bravery to say “I am homosexual” before coming out on 27 October 2021.

“My only desire is compete in soccer and receive fair treatment,” he stated in an related clip.

Cavallo was twenty-one and making a name for himself at his Australian club in the premier division when, with the support of his team-mates, he publicly came out.

“The future was uncertain. I had no expectations,” he says. “The moment seemed appropriate in my life. I needed to move forward.”

His emotional coming out video, entitled ‘Josh's Truth’, went viral on digital platforms.

“My mobile phone exploded with encouraging words. The response was incredible.”

Liverpool were among numerous famous teams around the world to express support for the player, with the coach at the time Jurgen Klopp saying: “I appreciate that he did it because now we talk again.”

Spanish player Gerard Pique also offered support, writing on social media that “the world of football is far behind and you are helping us move forward”, while Adelaide United issued a statement supporting their “extraordinary” and “courageous” player.

Others, however, were not so accepting.

Cavallo quickly became a subject to homophobic abuse by rival supporters.

During early 2022 a competing team were fined five thousand dollars over discriminatory chants from fans aimed toward Cavallo during a match.

“The things I'd hear were hurtful and derogatory towards my community,” he explains.

“I remained calm because I knew that would only feed the haters.”

A scary event occurred at a petrol station in Australia, where Cavallo was physically attacked by an individual who identified him from the media attention.

“That was a scary moment,” he remembers. “I remember thinking ‘this is happening - people want to harm me’.

“Is it acceptable? Definitely not. But through my disclosure, these are the consequences.

“I hope that future individuals who reveals their orientation while playing football at a professional standard doesn't have to experience the journey I have endured.”

The player says the daily death threats and hostile communications have taken a toll on his mental health.

“It's quite sad because I must justify why I deserve a place on the soccer pitch for my identity,” he states.

“We don't sit straight people down and ask ‘what gives you the right in football?’.

“Many individuals see me as a cheerful, optimistic person. But sometimes when I lean on my fiance, Leighton, and he gets to see a lot that happens behind the scenes.”

‘Top-tier athlete revealing orientation would create waves’

The player's choice to reveal his sexuality helped inspire teenage Blackpool forward Jake Daniels to announce he was gay as the UK's only openly gay active male professional footballer in spring 2022.

However, there are zero publicly LGBTQ athletes in the top English division.

“It would move mountains,” says Cavallo on the impact a Premier League player coming out would make.

“But I must be honest. Numerous frightening aspects that would await this individual. In the world of football, being an openly gay player is a highly hostile environment.”

Over two decades after a pioneering player - Britain's first openly gay male footballer - died by suicide in 1998, Cavallo has spoken about the “toxic masculinity” that still exists in professional soccer.

“You just need to go to a match and observe the unfriendly atmosphere and masculinity that the crowd brings,” he explains.

“There is still a lot of work to ensure there is a safe space in football for people like myself and his colleague.

“We haven't seen it (more players coming out) as much as we would like.

“I can only keep pushing for principles I believe in, and strive for taking out the toxic masculinity in football changing rooms and establishing secure environments.”

‘My mission is to drive progress’

The player says soccer has enabled discussions within team environments about coming out.

Yet, he is disapproving toward soccer's global governing body, after the Middle Eastern nation, where same-sex relationships are illegal, hosted the men's World Cup in 2022.

Future World Cup is scheduled in another Gulf state, where same-sex attraction is similarly prohibited.

“Do I approve that the World Cup is in nations that criminalise same-sex marriages, where people like me will be put in prison for merely living on their territory? It's frightening,” says Cavallo.

“I receive communications [from people living in these countries] saying ‘I'm about to be put in prison for my identity - can you help me?’.

“It's devastating that individuals are incarcerated for their true selves.

“There are countries that are huge in terms of football and they don't accept LGBTQ+ people. These places that tend to target me.”

Despite this, the footballer says he won't cease advocating.

“Soccer has allowed me to start conversations in the changing room. It lets me communicate and educate people who want to learn more.

“Not everyone is going to like you for your identity. But I have found my family. I've connected with similar people.

“My mission is to drive progress. That's what I'm here for.”