Collin Martin is a creative midfielder for Minnesota United in Major League Soccer, an American footballer who was something of a child prodigy. He played in United States junior teams, the son of a cardiologist from the affluent Washington DC suburb of Chevy Chase. According to the players’ union which publishes each MLS player’s salary he earns $95,000 a year - rather less than his team’s biggest earner, the Colombia international Darwin Quintero on $1.65million. He is also the only out gay footballer in MLS.

Not only that but Martin, 23, is the only out gay athlete in men’s sport in the United States in any of the top five professional leagues, and is a willing and committed spokesman on LGBT issues. He came out on June 29, to coincide with Minnesota’s fixture with FC Dallas that was designated as a Pride match one of many in the league themed to encourage LGBT fans to attend and to emphasise the tolerance of MLS.

It has been four months since then and speaking by telephone Martin says that his life has changed. He knows that Telegraph Sport would not be calling were we just talking football but he is fine with that. “I am able to have this platform and speak out on certain issues and just be like I said, a representative of the LGBTQ community. It’s something I didn’t necessarily think was going to happen but a lot of people are interested in my story so it has definitely been a new challenge to live my life more openly in the public eye.