Joshua Cavallo's Partner Shows Solidarity as Joshua Parts From Adelaide United

Australian professional soccer player Joshua Cavallo became the first active "top-flight" soccer player to come out as gay when he shared his truth with the world in 2021. Now, he's leaving Adelaide United after unfortunately experiencing homophobia from his own club.

He wrote a long Instagram caption explaining his decision to leave and get a fresh start in the U.K. His partner, whom he is now engaged to, showed his support in the comments. Here's what we know about Joshua's partner and their relationship.

Leighton and Joshua went public with their relationship in December of 2023, according to Out. Leighton is an Australian electrician and rugby player. He and Joshua got engaged in March of 2024, when Joshua proposed to Leighton on the field at Cooper Stadium.

In the caption of Joshua's Instagram post announcing their engagement, he wrote, "Your endless support has meant so much to me. You have provided a safe space in football, one that I never in my dreams thought could ever be possible, and encouraged me to live every day of my life authentically. It felt right to share this special moment on the pitch, where it all started."

"Decisions were made by people in power that blocked my opportunities, not because of my talent, but because of who I choose to love," Joshua wrote in his Instagram post about leaving Adelaide United. He said that he was frustrated that fans thought he was on the bench because of injuries when he was really there because of politics and "internal homophobia."

Joshua explained that he worked hard and kept his head down, but his work was ignored.

Joshua said that what happened with Adelaide United was actually what he was afraid of before he came out as gay. "For the first time, I actually questioned if I should have kept my sexuality a secret," he wrote.

Joshua said, "I felt incredibly isolated and wondered if I’d made the mistake of sharing my story. I felt things going backwards, not just on the pitch, but in the one place I thought was a safe space."

He added the heartbreaking fact that he saw his teammates making fun of a picture of himself and his partner in a group chat.

Thankfully, Joshua is getting a new start. He said that he hopes he can "fall back in love with the sport that means everything to [him]."

In the comments, Leighton showed his support, saying that he is proud of Joshua. He wrote, "Even this post doesn't really do justice to how heavy that time actually was to live through. We won't forget the ones that continued to show up and show out for you."

In a statement obtained by Out, Adelaide United said that it was aware of Joshua's statement. The club countered Joshua's claims, saying, "The Club is extremely disappointed by the claims made and categorically rejects the allegations, including any suggestion that Adelaide United is homophobic. All on-field decisions relating to team selection are made solely on footballing grounds."

Adelaide United claims to be committed to fostering an "inclusive environment" for everyone, and said that it "remain[s] proud of [its] ongoing work to promote inclusion across football."

Finally, the team wrote, "Strengthening inclusivity must remain an ongoing focus for the game, and the Club looks forward to hosting the fourth annual Pride Cup this weekend against Melbourne Victory. The Club will not be making any further comment at this time."