Major League Soccer Player Collin Martin Comes Out as Gay

Minnesota United midfielder Collin Martin has publicly come out as gay, making him the second openly gay player in Major League Soccer history to do so.

He made the announcement in a statement he tweeted hours before his team is set to hold their Pride night game against FC Dallas.

"Tonight my team, Minnesota United, is having their Pride night. It's an important night form--I'll be announcing for the first time that I am an openly gay player in Major League Soccer," the statement reads.

Martin further mentions that he has been out to friends, family, and teammates for years, and offered a call for greater inclusivity in sports.

"In light of my experience as a professional athlete, I want to take this moment to encourage others who play sports professionally or otherwise to have confidence that sport will welcome them wholeheartedly," he wrote. "June is Pride month, and I am proud to be playing for Pride, and to be playing as an out gay man."

Martin's coming out has made him the second openly gay player to come out in Major League Soccer after Robbie Rogers in 2013. It also makes Martin the only openly gay male athlete in a major American sports organization following Rogers' injury-induced retirement from MLS last year.

Rogers has since issued his own supportive response to Martin's announcement.