Like most sports, soccer remains a "straight" man's game. Gay players hide in the shadowy closet while folks like David Beckham get scads of press for their public "private" lives.

While no one's asking for a gay David Beckham - okay, some are - FIFA* president Sepp Blatter called for closeted footballers to grow a pair:

[Blatter] insists 'gay footballers' need to come out, so to speak, and not hide their sexual orientation.

He insists that male professionals should learn from their female counterparts, and not fear alieanation in the locker room.

"There are gay footballers but they don't declare it because they think it will not be accepted in these macho organizations," he said. "Look at women's football: homosexuality is more popular there."

Among the players or the fans?

*Fédération Internationale de Football Association