The president of the German League Association Reinhard Rauball has praised former Bundesliga player Thomas Hitzlsperger for his courage to come out as gay.

The former Stuttgart and Wolfsburg player, who also spent time in the Premier League, revealed in an interview with Zeit Online earlier today that he is gay, a decision that Rauball said could be "groundbreaking" for the sport.

"The decision of Thomas Hitzlsperger in being the first leading footballer to make his homosexuality public is a big and courageous step even after his playing career, and in the fight against homophobia, it is certainly groundbreaking," he told Bundesliga.com.

"In view of the huge public interest in professional football, the reaction of the fans to a current professional coming out would continue to be difficult to predict, however. In this regard, clubs, in their role as employers, carry an extraordinary responsibility.

"In view of this, I would recommend anybody in such a situation to confide in the club management, such as the board and coach and teammates as a first step."

Hitzlsperger was capped 52 times by Germany in his career.