Robbie Rogers has said he's happy with
his decision to retire from soccer after coming out gay.
The former U.S. Men's National Soccer
Team member who last played for the UK's Leeds United team came out
gay and announced his retirement from professional soccer in an
online post in February.
Appearing on CNN's Anderson Cooper
360, Rogers described his life before coming out.
“I was closeted. Never went to a gay
bar. Never did any of that stuff,” Rogers said. “It was 25
years of not living the truth, not being 100 percent open with
people.”
He added that he “felt like I
couldn't play and come out.”
“I thought it would be too emotional
for me, it would be a circus. I just thought it would be very
difficult the impact on the team with the media showing up every day.
… I'm glad I did it this way. I am happy.”
“If I go back, I want to go as a
soccer player, not the gay soccer player,” he added.
(Related: Robbie
Rogers mulling return to soccer in U.S. after coming out gay.)