Josh Cavallo
Joshua Cavallo | |
|---|---|
| Born | Joshua John Cavallo November 13, 1999 Bentleigh East, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation | Professional soccer player |
| Years active | 2019–present |
| Known for | First openly gay male Australian professional footballer |
Joshua John Cavallo (born 13 November 1999) is a professional soccer player from Australia, currently signed with the English side Peterborough Sports. He has also competed internationally for Australia's under-20 national squad.
Early life
Born in Bentleigh East, Victoria on 13 November 1999, Joshua John Cavallo comes from a background of both Italian and Maltese heritage. Although he initially showed greater interest in tennis, encouragement from his brother led him to pursue soccer, where he quickly found his enthusiasm.
Youth
At age 15, Cavallo was identified through national scouting efforts and awarded a scholarship with Melbourne Victory, participating in youth teams for both Melbourne Victory FC Youth and Melbourne City FC Youth.
Western United
On 15 April 2019, it was announced by Melbourne City that Cavallo would be departing following the conclusion of the 2018–19 Melbourne City FC season.
Subsequently, on 24 June 2019, Western United—a newly formed A-League club representing Melbourne’s western suburbs and regional areas of western Victoria—declared that Cavallo would join their squad ahead of their first season in 2019–20 Western United FC season. He made his first appearance on 3 January 2020 during a 3–2 defeat to Melbourne City, entering as a substitute in the 71st minute and earning a penalty that Besart Berisha successfully converted.
Western United confirmed Cavallo’s exit on 10 February 2021, as he sought increased playing opportunities with another A-League team.
Adelaide United
Cavallo signed a short-term deal with Adelaide United on 18 February 2021. Following an impactful stint in the 2020–21 A-League, he secured a contract extension for two additional years on 11 May. His performances during that season earned him Adelaide United’s A-League Rising Star accolade, having started in 15 matches and featured in 18 games overall.
Primarily deployed as a left back and central midfielder, Cavallo contributed versatility to the squad.
Throughout the 2024–25 campaign, Cavallo did not make any appearances but was named as an unused substitute on eight occasions before leaving the club at the end of the season.
Peterborough Sports
On 11 July 2025, Cavallo embarked on a new phase of his professional journey by signing with Peterborough Sports, a club competing in the English National League North.
International career
Cavallo featured for Australia's under-19 squad during the 2018 AFC U-19 Championship, where he was in the starting lineup against Korea Republic. He also represented the Australian under-20 team. Despite his ambitions to be part of the 2022 FIFA World Cup roster, he was ultimately not chosen and publicly expressed his disappointment regarding FIFA's prohibition of the "OneLove" armbands throughout the tournament.
Personal life
In October 2021, Cavallo made headlines by coming out as gay, joining the select group of openly gay male professional footballers worldwide. His revelation attracted extensive international media attention and was met with widespread encouragement from Adelaide United's leadership, teammates, and notable figures in football such as Gerard Piqué, Marcus Rashford, Antoine Griezmann, Jordan Henderson, Gary Lineker, and Lionel Messi. Support also came from celebrities like Lil Nas X and Ellen DeGeneres.
Cavallo's decision to be open about his sexuality represented a landmark moment in football history, being the first prominent player to come out during his career since Justin Fashanu in 1990. In May 2022, English footballer Jake Daniels cited Cavallo as a source of inspiration when publicly announcing his own sexuality.
In March 2024, Cavallo proposed marriage to his partner Leighton Morrell on the field at Coopers Stadium, the home ground of Adelaide United. He shared the engagement announcement via Instagram, thanking his club for embracing him as his true self.
Recognition
Cavallo earned Adelaide United's Rising Star accolade for the 2020–21 season. In 2022, Flinders University awarded him an honorary doctorate in recognition of his role as a positive influence in elite men's sport and an advocate for equality. He was also shortlisted for the 2023 South Australian Young Australian of the Year award.
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Western United | 2019–20 | A-League | 9 | 0 | – | 9 | 0 | |
| 2020–21 | A-League | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 9 | 0 | – | 9 | 0 | |||
| Adelaide United | 2020–21 | A-League | 19 | 0 | – | 19 | 0 | |
| 2021–22 | A-League Men | 19 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 22 | 0 | |
| 2022–23 | A-League Men | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2023–24 | A-League Men | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2024–25 | A-League Men | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 49 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 55 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 58 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 64 | 0 | ||