Thierry Henry believes the time is right for gay footballers to come out publicly

Henry had no qualms about having a teammate who was gay as they are all “human beings”

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has stated that footballers coming out as gay would be great for the game. The Frenchman was talking to Sky News, when he expressed his views on the matter.

He said, “I think it’s great, I think it’s great for the game, we’re going forward, it’s great for anyone, for any human being. If you are confident enough to come and say it and then live with it and embrace it, then do it."

The ex-Barcelona player even went on to say that if any of his teammates came out with the matter, his behavior with the player wouldn’t have changed.

He stated, “I can’t talk for everyone, but if I was in a dressing room, that guy would still have been my teammate, and I would still give him the ball, I will still see him the same way, I would still go out with him, or have lunch with him.

“We are all human beings at the end of the day, so it doesn’t really bother me. Obviously we have to talk about it, but ultimately it doesn’t bother me, I think we are all human beings at the end of the day,” the World Cup winner added.

Football should accept that it is a different world now: Henry

LA Galaxy's Robbie Rogers is one of the few footballers who decided to go public about his sexual orientation. His revelation came at a time when Henry was still plying his trade in the MLS.

Henry gave his views on the matter, he stated, “For me it was not a problem, but making it a problem becomes a problem. Going around (asking), ‘Do you think it's right? Do you think it's wrong?’ In the society that we are living, it is okay. It is normal. Why are people making it a problem? For me, it is normal.

“I could play with you, it is not a problem, we are there to do a job. Whatever you believe in, whatever you do, it is not a problem. It should be okay by now, we are living in a different time, different world and football should accept that,” he further added.

Recently, Sam Stanley became the first English professional rugby union player to publicly come out. As reported by Sky Sports, the player said, “It is going to be an issue until more people and athletes come out until it is not an issue at all. It might take years, but hopefully lots of people will find the courage.”