Iker Casillas’ “I’m gay” tweet a warning to the press

Iker Casillas sent the football Twitter world into a frenzy this Sunday by claiming that he is gay on the social media platform.

The account @IkerCasillas, run by the former Real Madrid and Porto goalkeeper, tweeted just after 2pm Spanish time: “I hope everyone respects me: I’m gay”, followed by the hashtag #felizdomingo, which translates to #happysunday. The tweet has since been deleted.

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Iker Casillas’ “I’m gay” tweet Casillas unhappy at being constantly linked to different women in the press

However, sources close to the player have revealed that while the former Real Madrid and Porto goalkeeper did indeed compose the tweet himself, the message was not a revelation of his sexuality but instead came as a result of his unhappiness at being linked to a number of different women in the media.

Casillas’ former international teammate Carlos Puyol, a long-term adversary at club level, was quick to play along, responding: “Now is the time to tell everyone about us.”

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Iker Casillas won a World Cup and two Euros with SpainCHEMA DIAZDiarioAS Very few male professional footballers have come out as gay

Although there a fairly large number of known gay female professional footballers, very few male players, past or present, have chosen to come out publicly, with former Germany international Thomas Hitzlsperger, who played in the Premier League for Aston Villa and Everton, and ex-USMNT player Robbie Rodgers among the highest-profile to do so.

Casillas was in a relationship with sports journalist Sara Carbonero, with whom he has two children, from 2009 to 2021. They married in 2016 before separating five years later. In recent times, the former Spain captain has been romantically linked to a series of women, including Shakira, TV personality Melyssa Pinto, fashion designer Rocío Osorno and now Alejandra Onieva, the sister of Madrid-based businessman Íñigo Onieva.