Robbie Rogers, Openly Gay Soccer Player, Makes Historic L.A. Galaxy Debut
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Robbie Rogers #14 of Los Angeles Galaxy takes the field.
By Chris Greenberg
In the 77th minute of a regular-season Major League Soccer match between the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Seattle Sounders on Sunday evening, Robbie Rogers made history.
The 26-year-old midfielder entered the game as a substitute for the Galaxy, becoming the first active openly gay male athlete to compete in a U.S. professional team sport.
Rogers came out in February in an emotional note on his personal website. In that same post, he also announced his decision to "step away" from the game. With a smile on his face and the No. 14 on his back, he stepped back on to the field on Sunday evening. The crowd at the Home Depot Center welcomed him with a loud cheer.
The reaction on social media among fellow players, fans and media was similarly positive.
Thanks to a first-half hat trick by Robbie Keane, the Galaxy were in total control of the game before Rogers took the field. The reigning MLS champions would roll to a 4-0 win, with Rogers completing all three of his passes. After the win, Rogers' focus appeared to be on his team's performance rather than his historic appearance.
"The most important thing is today we got three points," Rogers told ESPN during a postgame interview. "This was a huge game for us. It's a Western Conference game. The guys just played amazing. Robbie was clinical in front of goal and it was a pleasure to watch. They made it easy for me."
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