Adelaide United captain and Socceroo’s star Craig Goodwin has publicly questioned social media accusations by former teammate Josh Cavallo who said homophobia was behind his non-selection and ultimate departure from the A-league club in 2025.
Goodwin was asked directly about Cavallo’s comments on Adelaide radio station FIVEAA and didn’t hold back in response, saying he was ‘shocked and disappointed.’
The 34-year-old who has played 31 internationals for the Socceroos since 2013, suggested Cavallo’s lack of playing time had nothing to do with his sexuality.
“As someone that shared a change room with Josh, I’ve obviously been through a lot with him,” Goodwin said.
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“For him to say what he said and kind of blanket label the whole club and change room is extremely disappointing,” he continued.
Goodwin said he didn’t know why Cavallo, 26, would make such comments, explaining he had never seen or heard anything in his time at the A-League club.
“Whilst I was there and whilst I was with Josh, we were nothing but supportive of him… to say that he didn’t play because of him being gay or who he loved... I believe to be untrue.”
Pushed for reasons why Cavallo may have been left out of the Adelaide United XI, Goodwin pointed to a range of possible factors.
“Josh unfortunately had two major injuries,” Goodwin explained before adding more personally damning claims about the defender.
“There are (also) a lot of other players within the squad that, in my opinion, worked a lot harder than he did.
“There were multiple occasions that Josh decided to take up outside opportunities, try to hide it from us and lie to us, and miss training sessions and club commitments.
“Other boys were working extremely hard, spending hours on the training track trying to get better, whilst Josh is missing these sessions to take up other opportunities… that’s his choice to make.”
‘Obviously he was very brave’ says Craig Goodwin
Cavallo publicly announced he was gay in October 2021, becoming the first Australian male professional footballer to do so whilst still playing.
“I thought a lot of him, obviously he was very brave in coming out the way he did,” Goodwin said of Cavallo’s 2021 announcement.
“We were very accepting of him, as we try to be with absolutely every person that walks through the club at Adelaide United.
“We pride ourselves… on being an inclusive environment, when you come to Adelaide United, you’re a part of this club, you’re part of this family and what matters most is the football.“
Cavallo’s original Instagram post was published on Tuesday and has so far received almost 300,000 likes.