AS Roma goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis says he believes “surely two-to-three per cent” of Italian players are gay, but they wouldn’t come out because “ours is a homophobic environment.”

According to Goal.com, De Sanctis says gay players are afraid of coming out because they are concerned by the reactions of team-mates and fans.

“I can say that homosexuality exists in our world,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport.

“Out of 400-500 colleagues, surely two-to-three per cent are homosexual?

“But nobody has ever had the courage to come out because unfortunately ours is a homophobic environment.”

Earlier this year, Italian footballer Mattia Perin said the sport’s “very conservative” nature makes it “too difficult for someone to declare their sexuality.”

In 2012, Italian striker Antonio Cassano was fined €15,000 for anti-gay comments he made in the run-up to the Euro 2012 championships.

Cassano, 29, said: “If I say what I think… I hope there are none. But if there are queers here, that’s their business.”

In 2009, the coach of the Italian national football team said that in “the current climate” it would be impossible for two of his players to be in a gay relationship.