Lahm: players must decide whether they want to come out as gay
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Former Germany captain Philipp Lahm has said that gay footballers should not be pressured to come out and rather make the decision for themselves.
"It should be left up to everyone and there should be no pressure. Everyone has to decide for themselves whether they want to come out or not," Lahm told dpa at the Berlin film festival on Thursday.
"Then society as a whole should just let them live the way they want to."
No active German footballer has come out. Former German international Thomas Hitzelsperger came out 10 years ago after his playing career.
Former German youth international Marcus Urban recently announced a group coming out of footballers from several countries, including Germany. He said it would take place on May 17, the International Day against Homophobia.
Lahm, who captained Germany to the 2014 World Cup title and is now tournament director of Euro 2024, said that a lot of work still needs to be done to make homosexuality acceptable in society.
"I think that we have not quite reached the stage that it doesn't matter to anyone who you love, where you come from and what your religion is," Lahm said.
