"Football is full of gay couples, fake marriages, and fake girlfriends": the taboo behind Marcus Urban's revelations

Marcus Urban , born on August 4, 1971 in the former East Germany, made German football history not only for his sporting achievements, but above all for being the country's first male professional footballer to openly declare himself gay . His career, which saw him represent the GDR youth national team between 1986 and 1989 and play for Rot-Weiß Erfurt in the second division, ended prematurely in the early 1990s. It was only in 2007, sixteen years after hanging up his boots, that Urban found the courage to come out publicly , becoming a role model for the LGBTQ+ community in football.

Today, at 54, Urban continues his fight against homophobia in football, and his recent statements have shaken the European sports community. In the book Mensch Fußballstar (Human Football Star), published on August 18 in Germany and edited by Swiss journalist Andreas Boni , the former footballer reveals disturbing details about what he calls "a veritable masking business" in professional football.

Urban's revelations, previewed by Bild , paint a complex and hidden picture of modern football. "There are business initiatives within 'organized gay football,' " the former midfielder declared. " Fake girlfriends are organized, fake marriages are arranged. At the same time, there are agencies that arrange sexual encounters . They also make good money from this." A structured system that involves not only the players, but also their representatives: "But sometimes even the players' agents organize this for their clients and then have the players under their control."

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The existence of these specialized agencies reveals the social pressure that still weighs on gay footballers today. Urban claims that there are " gay couples in the Bundesliga , and they are very nice and friendly," adding hopefully: "Maybe the day will come when they come out ."

Contrary to what one might think, Urban believes the problem no longer lies in the attitude of the media or the fans . “It used to be said that the media and the fans were responsible for the fact that no one came forward,” he explains. “I think today it's only the fears of the players and the people around them that prevent it , at least where we come from, in the heart of Europe.” His analysis is clear: “I think almost all the media would support them. I also honestly believe that the fans are no longer the problem. Not even the clubs are.”

The real obstacle, according to Urban, is the "internal climate" within football: "Nowadays, it's more a question of the internal environment within football." The former player recounts a failed attempt at a collective coming out: "We had planned a coming out day on May 17, 2024 (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia, ed. ). In the end, no one dared to do it." The cause? "There are still too many people around them who have advised them against it. Lawyers, consultants, family members: people who bask in their money and fame and project their false concerns and fears onto the players."

The book Mensch Fußballstar, which also includes contributions from prominent figures such as Gianni Infantino and Lothar Matthäus , promises to tackle thorny and taboo topics in modern football. Urban's statements represent only part of a larger picture that the football world still seems reluctant to openly address. Despite the progress of recent decades and the inclusion campaigns promoted by major football associations , Urban's words demonstrate that the road to full acceptance of homosexuality in men's football is still long and complex.