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

Since revealing he was gay in 2021, player the athlete has received daily death threats and abusive messages on online platforms.

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

“I'm working to improve my skills and reach my full potential on the pitch, and then face criticism due to my identity. It's appalling.”

Midfielder the sportsman was at Adelaide United back in 2020 when he emerged as the sole publicly out elite soccer player in the world.

Recently he left Australia to join lower-tier club Peterborough Sports, who play in front of crowds of about 400 in National League North, one level below of English football.

The 25-year-old combines playing for the semi-professional team by speaking up on LGBTQ+ issues and using his profile - boasting over a million followers on social media - to champion equality and acceptance.

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

“I don't go more than a week without encountering problems.”

‘Individuals wish to hurt me’

Several years passed for the athlete to work up the courage to say “I am homosexual” before coming out on 27 October 2021.

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

Cavallo was 21 and making a name for himself at Adelaide United in Australia's top flight when, backed by his colleagues, he announced his orientation publicly.

“The future was uncertain. I didn't know what to expect,” he says. “The moment seemed appropriate in my life. I needed to move forward.”

His emotional coming out video, entitled ‘His Personal Story’, gained massive attention on digital platforms.

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

A prominent club were one of many high-profile clubs around the world to express support for the player, with the coach at the time the German manager saying: “I'm really thankful that he took this step because now we talk again.”

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

Some people, however, were not so accepting.

Cavallo quickly became a subject to anti-gay remarks by rival supporters.

During early 2022 a competing team were penalized five thousand dollars over anti-gay abuse from fans aimed toward Cavallo during a game.

“The comments I encountered were painful and derogatory towards my community,” he says.

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

There was a frightening incident at a gas station in Australia, where Cavallo was physically attacked by an individual who identified him from the coverage.

“That was a scary moment,” he recalls. “I remember thinking ‘this is real - individuals intend to hurt me’.

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

“My wish is that the next person who comes out while playing football at a high level doesn't have to experience the path I have endured.”

Cavallo says the constant menacing messages and abusive messages have affected his psychological well-being.

“It's disappointing because I am having to explain why I belong on the soccer pitch for my identity,” he states.

“We don't sit straight people down and ask ‘why should you exist in football?’.

“A lot of people see me as a cheerful, optimistic person. But there are days when I rely on my partner, Leighton, and he gets to see a lot that happens behind the scenes.”

‘Premier League player coming out would move mountains’

The player's choice to disclose his orientation helped prompt 17-year-old attacking player Jake Daniels to announce he was gay as the Britain's sole publicly out active male professional footballer in May 2022.

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

“It would move mountains,” comments the footballer on the effect a elite athlete coming out would have.

“But I'm not going to sugar-coat it. There are a lot of scary things that would come this person's way. In the world of football, identifying as LGBTQ is a very toxic place.”

Twenty-seven years after Justin Fashanu - the UK's initial out soccer professional - took his own life in 1998, Cavallo has discussed the “harmful male culture” that persists in professional soccer.

“You just need to go to a game and observe the hostile environment and male-dominated culture that the audience creates,” he says.

“There is still a lot of work to make sure there is a safe space in soccer for individuals like me and his colleague.

“Progress has been limited (additional athletes revealing their orientation) as much as we would like.

“I can only keep pushing for what I think is right, and work towards taking out the toxic masculinity in soccer locker rooms and establishing secure environments.”

‘I'm here to create change’

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

However, he is critical of soccer's global governing body, after the Middle Eastern nation, where homosexual partnerships are against the law, staged the global tournament in 2022.

The 2034 tournament will be held in another Gulf state, where homosexuality 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 merely living on that land? It's scary,” states Cavallo.

“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 individuals are incarcerated for their true selves.

“Certain nations that are significant soccer markets and they don't accept the queer community. Those are the countries that often focus on me.”

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

“Soccer has enabled dialogue in the changing room. It lets me communicate and inform individuals who seek understanding.

“Not everyone is going to like you for who you are. But I have found my family. I've connected with similar people.

“My purpose is to create change. That's my objective.”