'I messed up...I'm sorry for a bad joke': Carles Puyol apologises for his role in Iker Casillas' Twitter storm after Real Madrid legend 'joked' he was gay in response to rumours surrounding his post-divorce dating life

• e-mail

Carles Puyol has taken to social media to apologise to the LGBTQ+ community for making a 'bad joke' in response to Iker Casillas' now-deleted tweet.

Casillas - who made 275 appearances for Real Madrid - shared a Tweet announcing he was gay at 1.25pm on Sunday. Puyol responded to his former national team-mate soon after. 

Puyol - who has two children with his girlfriend Vanesa Lorenzo - jokingly said: 'It's time to tell our story, Iker' with a heart and kiss emoji. However, both parties deleted their Tweets shortly after they were shared. 

Former Barcelona captain Carles Puyol has apologised to the LGBTQ+ community

Puyol has now admitted his response was 'totally out of place' and insisted he 'supports and respects the LGBTQ+ community'.

He took to Twitter to release the following statement: 'I messed up. I'm sorry for a bad joke which had no bad intention, which was totally out of place. 

Puyol added: 'I understand that I may have hurt someone's feelings. All my respect and support towards the LGBTQ+ community.' 

Casillas split from his wife in March 2021 after five years of marriage. It is believed the Tweet was a joke in response to rumours about his post-divorce dating life.

In a blunt statement, the World Cup winner tweeted: 'I hope you respect me: I'm gay. #happysunday'. The post has since been deleted.

Shortly after Casillas' post, former rival and national team-mate Puyol in a now also deleted tweet, wrote: 'It's time to tell our story, Iker' with a heart and kiss emoji. 

After deleting his first tweet, Casillas wrote: 'Hacked account. Luckily everything in order. Apologies to all my followers. And of course, more apologies to the LGBT community.'

Openly gay Australian footballer Josh Cavallo hit out at the Spanish legends for 'making fun out of coming out in football'.

Marten de Roon (C) has taken to social media to discuss the incident involving Iker Casillas

The Adelaide United player tweeted: '@IkerCasillas and @Carles5Puyol joking and making fun out of coming out in football is disappointing.

'It's a difficult journey that any LGBTQ+ ppl have to go through. To see my role models and legends of the game make fun out of coming out and my community is beyond disrespectful.'

Jose Enrique also took to Twitter to criticise Casillas for not only his initial Tweet but his secondary statement. He said: 'Instead of apologising and recognising the mistake rather lie to everyone'. 

Marten de Roon also took to social media to discuss the situation involving Casillas and express his concerns over the current issues in society. 

Cavallo is currently the most prominent openly gay footballer in world football and took to social media to criticise Casillas for 'making fun of coming out' 

De Roon took to social media after Atalanta's triumph over Udinese to celebrate the fact his side had temporarily moved to the top of the Serie A table. However, he also took the opportunity to share his thoughts on the Casillas situation. 

De Roon said 'social media still shows how far from reality we are' and that the posts he has read are proving why there is still a 'problem'. 

The Dutch international took to Twitter to write: 'Yes, we're on top of the league (for now). More importantly, social media today still shows how far from reality we are.

'Whether Casillas was hacked or not: I see too many posts that are far off. Waiting for the day this wouldn't be news, 'cause actually that's the problem here.'

Reports say the tweet is a response to rumours that he's in a relationship with Alejandra Onieva

Other fans on social media have criticised Casillas and Puyol for their antics online with one tweeting: 'Homosexuality is not something to 'joke,' about in any context.

'And to do so as two footballing legends with enormous platforms, is so tone deaf it beggars belief.' 

Another tweeted: '@IkerCasillas you're an utter disgrace. People kill themselves because they feel like they can't come out & be their authentic self & u go & do this like it's some funny f*****g joke.

 

'The homophobic abuse is beyond & probably has triggered a lot of people. Grow up you pathetic boy.'

A third said: 'So in big 2022, the struggle of the lgbtq+ community - especially those trapped in the closet in men's football - to come out and accept themselves publicly is still just a joke to the stupid straight man.'

A fourth put: 'High profile, grown men using being gay as a punchline only making it harder for their gay colleagues to be able to come out is disgusting.

'Football and 'football twitter' is just rife with homophobia and it makes me so angry that these two would dare pull a stunt like this.'

Meanwhile several other football fans and members of the LGBTQ+ have taken to Twitter to call out the former Real Madrid goalkeeper. Some have even trolled Casillas. 

Casillas enjoyed a spectacular playing career, winning a World Cup and two Euros with Spain