Socceroo Craig Goodwin has hit back at former Adelaide United team-mate Josh Cavallo after he sensationally claimed that ‘internal homophobia’ existed at the A-League side.
The Adelaide United captain stated that he was ‘shocked and disappointed’ by Cavallo’s explosive comments, in which the 26-year-old claimed he had been blocked from playing for the first team due to his sexuality. He added that his lack of game time had forced him to leave the club.
In 2021, Cavallo received the support of the club and his team-mates when he made history by becoming the first current professional male footballer to come out as gay.
Adelaide, meanwhile, have vehemently denied the accusations made by the 26-year-old.
Cavallo left the club at the end of the 2024-25 season, having not made a single appearance for the Reds during that campaign. The Australian had been named on the bench eight times, but failed to make it onto the pitch.
While his comments have made headlines around the world, his former captain, Goodwin, has now stated that they were false.
Socceroo Craig Goodwin has hit back at former Adelaide United team-mate Josh Cavallo after he sensationally claimed that ‘internal homophobia’ existed at the A-League side
On Monday, Cavallo (left) sensationally claimed that he had been blocked from playing for the first team due to his sexuality
He published a lengthy statement on Instagram in which he also claimed that former Adelaide team-mates had mocked a picture of him and his partner in a group chat
‘As someone who shared a change room with Josh, and I’ve obviously been through a lot with him,’ Goodwin told FIVEAA.
‘I wasn’t there the last couple of years, but for him to obviously say what he said and kind of blanket label the whole club and change room in the way that he did is extremely disappointing from our end.
‘I don’t know why he would say these things, but all I can speak is from my side and my experiences, and nothing ever happened whilst I was there, and whilst I was with Josh. We were nothing but supportive of him in all these endeavours. To say that he didn’t play because of him being gay or who he loved, I believe to be untrue.’
Cavallo has also struggled with injuries over the past few years. The Australian was sidelined between February 2023 and January 2024 after rupturing his Achilles tendon. He’d return to make four appearances for Adelaide, starting in just one of those games, before his season was cut short again due to a hamstring strain.
Goodwin noted Cavallo’s injuries, but questioned his work ethic compared to other members of the team.
‘If I look at the facts from the time I was there and beyond, Josh unfortunately had two major injuries. And there were other players within the squad, in my opinion, who worked a lot harder than he did,’ Goodwin added.
‘There were, in fact, multiple occasions where Josh took up multiple outside opportunities and tried to hide it from us and lie to us and miss training sessions and club commitments.’
Cavallo (right) made history coming out as the first openly gay current male professional footballer in 2021. Since then, other players have followed him in also coming out
Sources close to The Sydney Morning Herald claimed that Adelaide had issued an internal suspension to Cavallo for travelling interstate for a sponsored event without the club’s permission back in 2022. The ban had been kept quiet by the club.
‘And then we still accepted what happened, that was the opportunity that he decided to choose. But for me, for him to say those things, when my experience was that he directly chose outside opportunities, which would have affected the way the coaches thought about him or his opportunities, whilst other boys were working extremely hard, spending hours on the training track, trying to get better, whilst Josh is missing these sessions to take up other opportunities… that’s his choice to make.
‘But then to say that he didn’t play because of who he chooses to love rather than all of the other things that he chose. He made choices not to partake in some training sessions to take up some other things and then not talking to the club about it.
‘So from our side, knowing these things, it’s disappointing that he would come out and say these things.’
Cavallo also claimed that he had seen a group chat in which his team-mates had ‘mocked’ a picture of himself and his partner. He added that this ‘only added to the heartbreak’.
Goodwin denies that he was ever aware of such an incident.
‘I’m not aware of any group chat. Again, I wasn’t here the last few years, but from speaking to players, from that end, as far as I know, there was no group chat,’ Goodwin added.
‘No, I don’t say I’ve lost respect for Josh. You know, I’ve had a great relationship with Josh.
Goodwin (right) claimed that Cavallo’s work ethic was not as good as some other members of the squad
Adelaide United stated in a media release that they were ‘proud to take part’ in this weekend’s fourth annual Pride Cup match, which ‘reinforces the club’s commitment to diversity and inclusion’
‘I thought a lot of him, obviously, he was very brave in coming out the way he did. We were very accepting of him and the way that he was as we try to be with absolutely every person that walks through the club at Adelaide United.
‘We pride ourselves not only since Josh, but now and, you know, hopefully in the past as well of being an inclusive environment that no matter what sexual orientation you have, what religion you have, what skin color you have, that when you come to Adelaide United, you’re a part of this club. You’re part of this family. And what matters most is the football.
‘It matters most and playing for the fans, wanting to win for the fans and doing absolutely everything that you can for the betterment of this football club and for the group and to try and win trophies and be successful. I think we’re a very are inclusive club.
‘We’ve always been that way, especially more so since Josh and obviously highlighting some of the factors around that and the way that things can get better. And yes, for me, it’s a very disappointing scenario.’
After leaving Adelaide at the end of the 2024-25 season, Cavallo signed for English National League side Peterborough Sports. He would later move to non-league side Stamford AFC.
On Monday, Cavallo, claimed on Instagram that he ‘wasn’t allowed to play due to politics’.
‘It’s taken me a while to digest how my time at Adelaide United ended, but I think the fans deserve honesty,’ his lengthy post began.
‘Leaving the club had nothing to do with football. Decisions were made by people in power that blocked my opportunities, not because of my talent, but because of who I choose to love.
‘Under the new management, it became clear that I wasn’t allowed on the pitch because of politics. It’s hard to swallow when I realised my own club was homophobic.
After leaving Adelaide at the end of the 2024-25 season, Cavallo signed for English National League side Peterborough Sports. He would later move to non-league side Stamford AFC.
‘I was angry because people thought I was sidelined based on injuries, when in reality, it was internal homophobia that kept me on the bench.
‘I stayed professional, kept my head down, and worked hard every day which I’m proud of.
‘Yet no matter how much I produced or improved, my contributions were continuously ignored. It brought a lot of negativity and affected my wellbeing as a professional footballer.
‘This was exactly the fear I had about coming out, seeing prejudice affect my career in modern day.’
Adelaide later responded to the claims.
‘Adelaide United is aware of a statement published on social media by former player Josh Cavallo,’ a club spokesperson said.
‘The club is extremely disappointed by the claims made and categorically rejects the allegations, including any suggestion that Adelaide United is homophobic.
‘All on-field decisions relating to team selection are made solely on footballing grounds.
‘Adelaide United has always been committed to fostering an inclusive environment for players, staff and supporters and we remain proud of our ongoing work to promote inclusion across football.
Adelaide have later responded to Cavallo’s (left) claims, stating that they were also disappointed by his explosive comments
‘The club will not be making any further comment at this time.’
The Reds are currently preparing for a huge crunch match against Melbourne Victory, who sit just one point ahead of them in the league.
Goodwin added that despite the controversy, his team are entirely focused on the upcoming match.
‘We are professionals. That’s our job. That’s all we have to do. And that’s the talk among the change room. You know, we have to ignore the outside noise as we do. There can be bad results and they can be outside noise. There can be good results and they can be outside noise.
‘We have to stay focused in the one thing and that’s the next match, the next training session, making sure that we’re doing the work that we’re prepared for this next game because aside from all these other things and the other issues, this is the biggest fixture in our calendar.
‘Melbourne Victory at Cooper Stadium, at home, biggest crowd of the season, such a great opportunity to get three points, push up the table and deliver a great performance for our fans.’
