Jake Daniels, the UK’s sole openly gay male professional footballer, expressed disappointment over Jordan Henderson’s summer transfer to Saudi Arabia. Daniels, who plays for Blackpool, came out as gay in May 2022, marking the first time in 32 years that an active professional male footballer publicly disclosed his sexuality, following Justin Fashanu’s revelation in 1990.
At the time, Jordan Henderson, England’s midfielder, messaged Daniels with words of support. However, Henderson’s subsequent move from Liverpool to Saudi Arabia, where same-sex relations are illegal, left the 18-year-old feeling conflicted.
“He [Henderson] was backing me and said: ‘We’re proud of what you’ve done,'” Daniels told the BBC. “Seeing him move to Saudi, it kind of slaps me in my face really. But I guess the money pays well, and money must mean more to people.”
Henderson faced criticism for his transfer to Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia, with LGBTQI+ rights activists and fan groups pointing out the perceived contradiction between his previous support for LGBTQ+ rights and his move to a country with such restrictive laws.
While Henderson insisted in a September interview that he still cares about LGBTQ+ issues and that it hurts to suggest otherwise, Daniels found his transfer “frustrating” and revealed that they have not spoken since.
Steven Gerrard, Henderson’s current manager at Al-Ettifaq, was among those in the football world who reached out to Daniels before heading to Saudi Arabia.
Daniels stated, “I met him [Gerrard] in person, and he said: ‘If you ever want to get in contact, then message me’ – but he moved over. It was frustrating so many people moved over.”
Daniels also expressed concerns about the 2034 World Cup set to be hosted in Saudi Arabia, following the 2022 tournament in Qatar, another nation where homosexuality is illegal.
“We were starting to see a bit of progress,” he said. “Then the Qatar World Cup happens, and we go back again. If I was involved in the World Cup and went over, I wouldn’t feel safe, and that’s putting my football in jeopardy.”
While Daniels remains one of the few openly gay active male footballers, he has found his disclosure to be transformative and has received immense support since coming out. He believes it has improved his performance on the field.
“It has been crazy since coming out,” Daniels said. “I didn’t think it would blow up as much as it did. The reception I’ve had, the people I’ve met, it’s been a crazy experience. Coming out was the best thing I’ve ever done. I’m playing better now.”
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