Tests of Courage

• Hitzlsperger's coming out as a gay professional football player in 2014 was a milestone in the fight against homophobia in football and in society. His football career was a journey rife with success and adventure.
• Translation rights represented via David Luxton Agency

Time and again in his life, Thomas Hitzlsperger has shown the same courage that made him the first German professional football player to come out publicly on 8 January 2014. His book, which he cowrote with reporter Holger Gertz, is the story of an adventurous life that began in the Bavarian provinces, took him to the three major European football leagues, and made him a committed campaigner for diversity and tolerance and against racism and violence in football and in society – even if not every hope that Thomas Hitzlsperger pinned on his historic step ten years ago has been fulfilled to this day.

 “I wanted to speak up now. And I could speak up now.” – Thomas Hitzelsperger