Blackpool FC forward Jake Daniels announced on Monday that he is gay. 

"Off the pitch I've been hiding the real me and who I really am," he said in a statement. "I've known my whole life that I'm gay, and I now feel that I'm ready to come out and be myself. It's a step into the unknown being one of the first footballers in this country to reveal my sexuality, but I've been inspired by Josh Cavallo, Matt Morton and athletes from other sports, like Tom Daley, to have the courage and determination to drive change."        

Daniels is now the first male English footballer to publicly come out as gay since Justin Fashanu in 1990, per ESPN. 

Aston Villa's Thomas Hitzlsperger and Hull City's Thomas Beattie came out as gay after their playing careers. 

"I’ve hated lying my whole life and feeling the need to change to fit in," Daniels wrote. "I want to be a role model myself by doing this. There are people out there in the same space as me that may not feel comfortable revealing their sexuality. I just want to tell them that you don’t have to change who you are, or how you should be, just to fit in. You being you, and being happy, is what matters most."

Daniels received an outpouring of support from across the footballing world.

Daniels, 17, scored 30 goals for Blackpool's under-19 team this past season. He debuted for the senior side earlier in May in a Championship game against Peterborough.

Last year, Adelaide United's Josh Cavallo became the only male football player in a top-flight league to publicly identify as gay, playing in Australia's A-League Men.