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“You shouldn't exist” ... “Why are you here?” ... “Stop breathing.”

After announcing his homosexuality in 2021, player the athlete has received daily death threats and abusive messages on social media.

“Upon reading those comments, it broke my heart,” the player states. “No-one wants to read things like that.

“I'm trying to get better as a player and be the best I can be during matches, and then face criticism due to my identity. It's disgusting.”

Midfielder Cavallo was at Adelaide United four years ago when he emerged as the sole publicly out elite soccer player in the world.

Recently he departed from Australia to join lower-tier club Peterborough Sports, who compete before audiences of about 400 in the sixth division, one level below of English football.

The 25-year-old combines playing for the semi-professional team by advocating for inclusion matters and using his profile - boasting over a million followers on social media - to champion equality and acceptance.

“Definitely, there's enormous work ahead,” the footballer comments when questioned about ongoing issues with discrimination.

“Rarely a week passes without hearing about an issue.”

‘People want to harm me’

Several years passed for Cavallo to build up the bravery to say “I am homosexual” before coming out on October 27th, 2021.

“My only desire is play football and receive fair treatment,” he said in an related clip.

The player was 21 and making a name for himself at his Australian club in the premier division when, backed by his colleagues, he announced his orientation publicly.

“I didn't know what was ahead. I had no expectations,” he recalls. “The moment seemed appropriate in my life. I needed to move forward.”

The heartfelt revelation clip, titled ‘Josh's Truth’, gained massive attention on social media.

“My mobile phone exploded with encouraging words. The response was incredible.”

Liverpool were among numerous famous teams around the world to show solidarity with the player, with the coach at the time the German manager saying: “I appreciate that he did it because it sparks conversation.”

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique also offered support, writing on social media that “the world of football is lagging behind and your actions drive progress”, while Adelaide United released a comment backing their “remarkable” and “brave” player.

Others, however, were not so accepting.

Cavallo soon turned into a subject to anti-gay remarks by opposition fans.

During early 2022 Melbourne Victory were fined A$5,000 over anti-gay abuse from spectators aimed toward the player during a game.

“The things I'd hear were painful and disparaging towards my community,” he explains.

“I remained calm because I knew that would only feed the haters.”

A scary event occurred at a petrol station in Australia, where the athlete was physically attacked by someone who recognised him from the coverage.

“It was terrifying,” he remembers. “I remember thinking ‘this is real - people want to harm me’.

“Should this be tolerated? Definitely not. But by coming out, these are the consequences.

“I hope that the next person who comes out while competing in soccer at a high level doesn't have to experience the path I have experienced.”

Cavallo says the daily death threats and abusive messages have taken a toll on his psychological well-being.

“It's quite sad because I must justify why I deserve a place on the football field for being who I am,” he says.

“Heterosexual players aren't questioned and ask ‘why should you exist in football?’.

“Many individuals see me as a smiling, positive person. But there are days when I rely on my partner, his name, and he gets to see much of what occurs privately.”

‘Premier League player coming out would move mountains’

The player's choice to disclose his orientation helped prompt teenage attacking player Jake Daniels to come out as the UK's only openly gay active male professional footballer in spring 2022.

Nevertheless, there are zero publicly LGBTQ athletes in the top English division.

“It would move mountains,” says Cavallo on the effect a elite athlete coming out would make.

“But I must be honest. There are a lot of scary things that would come this person's way. In the world of football, identifying as LGBTQ is a highly hostile environment.”

Twenty-seven years after a pioneering player - Britain's first openly gay male footballer - died by suicide in 1998, Cavallo has discussed the “harmful male culture” that persists in professional soccer.

“You just need to go to a game and see the hostile environment and male-dominated culture that the crowd brings,” he says.

“There is still a lot of work to ensure there is a secure environment in football for individuals like me and his colleague.

“Progress has been limited (additional athletes revealing their orientation) as frequently as desired.

“I can only keep pushing for what I think is right, and work towards eliminating the toxic masculinity in soccer locker rooms and creating a safe space.”

‘My mission is to drive progress’

Cavallo says football has enabled discussions within team environments about revealing one's orientation.

However, he is disapproving toward soccer's global governing body, after the Middle Eastern nation, where homosexual partnerships are illegal, hosted the men's World Cup in 2022.

Future World Cup will be held in Saudi Arabia, where same-sex attraction is similarly prohibited.

“Do I approve that the World Cup is in nations that ban gay unions, where people like me will be imprisoned for just existing on that land? It's scary,” states the athlete.

“I receive communications [from people living in these countries] saying ‘I face imprisonment for being who I am - can you help me?’.

“It breaks my heart that people are getting locked up for being who they are.

“There are countries that are significant soccer markets and they don't accept the queer community. These places that often focus on me.”

Despite this, Cavallo says he won't cease advocating.

“Football has enabled dialogue in the locker room. It has allowed me to speak and educate people who seek understanding.

“Not everyone is going to like you for who you are. But I've discovered support. I've connected with similar people.

“My mission is to drive progress. That's my objective.”