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“You don't belong on this earth” ... “What are you doing here?” ... “Don't take another breath.”

After announcing he was gay in 2021, footballer the athlete has received daily death threats and abusive messages on online platforms.

“When I first saw these messages, I was devastated,” Cavallo states. “Nobody should have to endure such words.

“I'm trying to get better as a player and reach my full potential during matches, and then get put down because of who I am. It's appalling.”

Midfielder the sportsman was playing for Adelaide United back in 2020 when he emerged as the sole publicly out top-flight male professional footballer in the world.

Recently he left Australia to join non-league Peterborough Sports, who play in front of crowds of about 400 in the sixth division, the sixth tier of the English soccer system.

The 25-year-old combines playing for the Cambridgeshire part-timers by speaking up on inclusion matters and using his profile - he has more than one million followers on Instagram - to promote fairness and acceptance.

“Absolutely, we've got mountains to do,” Cavallo says when asked if football still has a problem with discrimination.

“Rarely a week passes without encountering problems.”

‘Individuals wish to hurt me’

It took years for Cavallo to work up the courage to say “I'm gay” before coming out on 27 October 2021.

“All I want to do is play football and be treated equally,” he said in an accompanying video.

Cavallo was 21 and building his reputation at his Australian club in the premier division when, backed by his colleagues, he publicly came out.

“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.”

His emotional coming out video, titled ‘Josh's Truth’, went viral on social media.

“My mobile phone exploded with messages of support. It was overwhelming.”

Liverpool were among numerous famous teams around the world to show solidarity with Cavallo, with then manager the German manager saying: “I appreciate that he did it because now we talk again.”

Barcelona defender the athlete also expressed backing, writing on social media that “soccer culture is far behind and you are helping us move forward”, while Adelaide United issued a statement supporting their “extraordinary” and “courageous” player.

Some people, however, were not so accepting.

The footballer quickly became a target of anti-gay remarks by opposition fans.

During early 2022 a competing team were fined A$5,000 over anti-gay abuse from spectators aimed toward Cavallo during a match.

“The comments I encountered were hurtful and derogatory towards LGBTQ people,” he says.

“I remained calm because responding would encourage detractors.”

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

“That was a scary moment,” he recalls. “The thought crossed my mind ‘this is real - individuals intend to hurt me’.

“Is it acceptable? Absolutely not. But through my disclosure, these are the consequences.

“My wish is that future individuals who comes out while playing football at a high level won't face the path I have endured.”

The player says the daily death threats and abusive messages have affected his mental health.

“It's disappointing because I am having to explain why I deserve a place on the football field for being who I am,” he states.

“Heterosexual players aren't questioned and ask ‘what gives you the right in football?’.

“A lot of people see me as a smiling, optimistic 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 reveal his sexuality helped prompt 17-year-old Blackpool forward another athlete to come out as the Britain's sole publicly out playing soccer professional in spring 2022.

However, there are no openly gay or bisexual players in the Premier League.

“It would move mountains,” says Cavallo on the impact a Premier League player coming out would have.

“But I'm not going to sugar-coat it. There are a lot of scary things that would await this individual. In the world of football, being an openly gay player is a highly hostile environment.”

Twenty-seven years after Justin Fashanu - the UK's initial out soccer professional - died by suicide in 1998, Cavallo has spoken about the “harmful male culture” that still exists in men's football.

“You just need to go to a game and see the hostile environment and masculinity that the crowd brings,” he explains.

“Much remains to be done to make sure there is a secure environment in soccer for people like myself and Jake.

“We haven't seen it (additional athletes revealing their orientation) as much as we would like.

“I can only keep pushing for principles I believe in, and work towards eliminating the harmful male norms in football changing 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 Fifa, after Qatar, where same-sex relationships are illegal, hosted the men's World Cup in 2022.

The 2034 tournament is scheduled in another Gulf state, where homosexuality is also illegal.

“Am I impressed that the global championship is in nations that criminalise same-sex marriages, where individuals like myself will be imprisoned for just existing on their territory? It's scary,” says Cavallo.

“I receive communications [from people living in these countries] saying ‘I face imprisonment for my identity - is assistance possible?’.

“It breaks my heart that people are getting locked up for their true selves.

“Certain nations that are huge in terms of football and they don't accept the queer community. These places that often focus on me.”

Nevertheless, Cavallo says he won't cease advocating.

“Soccer has enabled dialogue in the locker room. It lets me communicate and educate people who want to learn more.

“Some will disapprove for your identity. But I've discovered support. I've connected with similar people.

“My purpose is to drive progress. That's what I'm here for.”