I’ve been with men and women – Ex-Brazil international, Richarlyson comes out as bisexual

Former Brazil international, Richarlyson has come out as bisexual.

The 39-year-old, who played two international matches back in 2008, is the first player from a Brazilian top-flight team to come out in public.

Richarlyson, who spent most of his career in Brazil, opened up on dating both men and women in his appearance on the Nos Armarios dos Vestiarios podcast. He also slammed the amount of homophobia existing in both football and his country. 

‘All my life I was asked whether I was gay or not. I had relationships with men and I had relationships with women, too,’ Richarlyson said in the podcast aired by website Globo Esporte. 

‘I am normal, I have wishes and desire. I dated men, I date women. So what?

‘So many people say it is important that I stand up, so I decided to say it today. I am bisexual.’

Richarlyson, who retired from football last year, also revealed that he decided not to come out during his playing days, as he ‘didn’t want to be ruled out because of his sexuality’.

The news comes following Blackpool player Jake Daniels’ decision to come out as the only openly gay professional footballer in the United Kingdom, and the first since Justin Fashanu in 1990.