Antoine Griezmann, Rafael Varane and Gerard Pique are three of the many good ones who this week referred to who has been for some hours the most talked about footballer in the world.
"I support you all the way, and you sure needed a lot of courage," tweeted a Manchester United stopper.
"I am proud of you," the Atletico Madrid striker added, and the Barcelona stopper wrote: "I do not know you personally, but I want to thank you for this step you have taken."
Kabalo's step was out of the closet.
At the age of 21, an Australian Adelaide United player, last week became the first footballer to play in a senior league and declare himself gay.
"I'm a footballer, and I'm gay," he declared in a video posted on social media, "all I want is to keep playing football and get equal treatment."
Caballo explained that he was unable to live a double life anymore, and that he was glad he could put an end to a six-year self-struggle.
"I want to be happy. It's bigger than football. This is my life. I would go home and I couldn't be happy," he said in the video.
It is doubtful that Caballo, a likable defensive midfielder who previously played for Australia's youth teams, believed his personal story would spread in the world of football like wildfire.
He and his team expected the post to make noise, but the dimensions were larger than we imagined.
Big clubs like Liverpool, Manchester United and Milan have sent messages of support, as have huge athletes like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Robin van Persie, LeBron James and celebrities like Alan DeGeneres and Ricky Martin.
Gerard Pique speaks out in support of Josh Cavallo's brave coming out journey 👏🏳️🌈 pic.twitter.com/5r7bXxeVOK
- ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 27, 2021
One of the most exciting reactions was from Thomas Hitzelsberger, a former Germany and Stuttgart player, who in 2014 and after retiring announced a comeback: "Nice move, Josh, I wish you a great career. You have already inspired many, and you will continue to do so in the future. ".
Meanwhile, the most notable change concerns Kabalo's personal life.
From 10,000 followers on Instagram at the time of the announcement, the number has jumped to 135,000 as of this moment, and the pace is dizzying.
In an interview with ESPN, he said that he understands his new role, and promised to answer anyone who sent a message and has not yet received a reply.
"I'm a little shocked by what's happening," he admitted this week, "but I wanted to make a statement. I wanted to show that it's normal to be gay in our world, and that it can be normal in football as well."
Kabalo in action.
Gives hope for a better future, Photo: AFP
Kabalo's case proves that the direction for the name is positive, but there is another way.
Along with the many supportive reactions, there were also many who teased and insulted, and the 21-year-old player knows that should not be addressed.
"I want to change things," he declared in an interview with local media.
It is too early to know what and how much Kaballo's statement will change, but the initial reaction gives a great deal of optimism to the LGBT community in the context of football.
They believe that discourse can change, that attitudes need to change, and that such statements are capable of becoming routine;
"I want to be remembered as the footballer Josh and not as the gay footballer Josh," Kabalo said;
"That would be the happiest thing that could happen to me."
