Robbie Rogers has said that he was
initially nervous about his Sunday Los Angeles Galaxy debut but
called the experience “enjoyable.”
Rogers received a loud ovation from the
stands as he entered the game as a substitute player for the Galaxy,
making him the U.S.'s first active openly gay male professional
athlete.
“I guess a part of me was just
afraid, not afraid but just a little nervous, I guess,” Rogers told
reporters after his debut. “You know, I understand that I guess
historically this is a big thing. But for me it's just another
soccer game. So, I'm kind of battling with both of those things,
'Ok, it's just a soccer game, done this a million times.' But then,
obviously, I know, I'm not naïve I know people are watching.”
“Once I got to the stadium, felt
totally normal. And the guys made it really easy, played so well
tonight. First half, especially. So, it made my experience very
enjoyable,” he added. (The video is embedded on this page. Visit
our video library for more videos.)
In February, Rogers, 26, came out gay
and announced his retirement from professional soccer in an online
post. He announced his return with the Galaxy last week.