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

Since revealing he was gay in 2021, footballer the athlete has faced constant threats and abusive messages on social media.

“Upon reading those comments, it broke my heart,” the player explains. “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 Cavallo was at Adelaide United back in 2020 when he became the only openly gay top-flight male professional footballer in the world.

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

The 25-year-old balances his sports career for the semi-professional team by speaking up on inclusion matters and using his profile - he has more than one million followers on Instagram - to champion equality and acceptance.

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

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

‘People want to harm me’

It took years for Cavallo to work up the courage to say “I am homosexual” before coming out on October 27th, 2021.

“My only desire is play football and receive fair treatment,” he stated in an accompanying video.

Cavallo was 21 and building his reputation at his Australian club in Australia's top flight when, with the support of his team-mates, he publicly came out.

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

His emotional coming out video, entitled ‘Josh's Truth’, gained massive attention on digital platforms.

“My phone was flooded with encouraging words. It was overwhelming.”

Liverpool were one of many high-profile clubs around the world to show solidarity with the player, with then manager Jurgen Klopp saying: “I'm really thankful that he took this step because now we talk again.”

Spanish player the athlete also expressed backing, writing on social media that “soccer culture is far behind and your actions drive progress”, while Adelaide United issued a statement backing their “remarkable” and “brave” player.

Others, however, were not so accepting.

Cavallo soon turned into a subject to anti-gay remarks by rival supporters.

During early 2022 a competing team were penalized five thousand dollars over discriminatory chants from fans directed at Cavallo during a match.

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

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

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

“It was terrifying,” he recalls. “The thought crossed my mind ‘this is real - individuals intend to hurt me’.

“Is it acceptable? Definitely not. But through my disclosure, this is what it brings.

“I hope that the next person who reveals their orientation while competing in soccer at a professional standard doesn't have to experience the path I have endured.”

The player says the daily death threats and hostile communications have affected his mental health.

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

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

“Many individuals see me as a smiling, optimistic person. But there are days when I lean on my fiance, his name, and he gets to see much of what occurs behind the scenes.”

‘Premier League player coming out would move mountains’

The player's choice to disclose his orientation helped prompt teenage Blackpool forward another athlete to announce he was gay as the UK's only openly gay playing soccer professional in spring 2022.

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

“It would move mountains,” comments the footballer on the impact 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 - died by suicide in 1998, Cavallo has discussed the “harmful male culture” that persists in professional soccer.

“Simply attend to a match and see the unfriendly atmosphere and masculinity that the crowd brings,” he explains.

“Much remains to be done to make sure there is a safe space in soccer for individuals like me and his colleague.

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

“My role is to continue advocating for principles I believe in, and strive for taking out the toxic masculinity in football changing rooms and establishing secure environments.”

‘I'm here to create change’

The player says football has allowed him to have conversations within team environments about coming out.

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

Future World Cup is scheduled in Saudi Arabia, where homosexuality is similarly prohibited.

“Am I impressed that the global championship is in countries that ban gay unions, where people like me will be put in prison for just existing on that land? It's scary,” says Cavallo.

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

“It's devastating that people are getting locked up for their true selves.

“Certain nations that are significant soccer markets and they reject the queer community. These places that often focus on me.”

Nevertheless, Cavallo says he will not stop speaking up.

“Soccer has enabled dialogue in the changing room. It has allowed me to speak and educate people who want to learn more.

“Some will disapprove for your identity. But I have found my family. I've connected with similar people.

“My mission is to create change. That's what I'm here for.”