Two Premier League footballers are set to break a huge taboo by coming out and revealing that they are gay, according to the Daily Mirror.
Homosexual footballers have until now kept quiet over the issue for fear of the ensuing backlash, but The Mirror believe that attitudes towards gay players are now changing and the two stars feel that the time is now right to open up.
Though there is yet no word over who the players are, the publication is reporting that one of the men in question is an England international.
A source said: “The stigma has completely gone, and the public are far more accepting.
“At this level of football, being gay is almost the final frontier.
“It has always been such a macho game and, unfortunately, perhaps more than in any other sport, there can be an aggressive mob mentality in the stands.
“But finally the tide is turning and more and more sports people are openly gay.”
The two players are believed to have told their families and have the full support of the Football Association and are planning to go public before the start of next season (via Mirror).
The Mirror also claim that another well known player came out to his family and friends back in 2011, but refused to go public after a homophobic slur was painted across his car.
Should The Mirror’s claims be true, the players would be the first openly gay players at football’s top level since Justin Fashanu revealed his sexuality in the 1980s .
Former Aston Villa midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger revealed that he is gay following his retirement from the game in 2014, while ex-Leeds player Robbie Rodgers came out in 2013 and is now currently featuring for MLS outfit La Galaxy alongside Steven Gerrard and Robbie Keane.