The Czech Republic international Jakub Jankto has come out as gay.
In a video the 27-year-old Sparta Prague midfielder said he is “homosexual and I no longer want to hide myself”.
Jankto, who is on loan at Sparta from Spanish club Getafe, becomes the first La Liga player to come out as gay.
“I am Jakub Jankto and like everybody else I have my strengths and I have my weaknesses,” he said in a video released on Twitter.
“I have a family and I have my friends. I have a job which I have been doing it as best as I can for years with seriousness, professionalism and passion.
“Like everybody else I also want to live my life in freedom without fears, without prejudice, without violence but with love.“I am homosexual and I no longer want to hide myself.”
Sparta Prague said in a statement that Jankto had spoken “about his sexual orientation with the club’s management, coach and teammates some time ago”.
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They added: “Everything else concerns his personal life. No further comments. No more questions.“You have our support. Live your life, Jacob.”
Jankto follows Adelaide United’s Josh Carvalho and Blackpool’s Jake Daniels in coming out as gay.
Jankto started his professional career at the Italian club Udinese and made a total of 65 Serie A appearances for the club before moving to Sampdoria, initially on loan.
He spent a total of four seasons at the club before signing for Getafe in 2021, returning to his native Czech Republic to star for Sparta Prague at the start of the current campaign.
He is a regular for the national team and has made a total of 45 appearances for the Czech Republic, scoring four goals.