A Dutch publication aimed at gay readers has named Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo the most attractive player at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. The twice-monthly magazine Gay Krant, based in the Netherlands, made the selection based on a vote among roughly 3,000 of its readers.
The 21-year-old Manchester United star had already earned the same distinction at Euro 2004, making this his second consecutive such honor at a major international tournament. Readers described him as the most beautiful, attractive, and sexy player at the event.
Sweden's Markus Rosenberg came in second in the sexiest-player poll. The magazine also assembled a fantasy squad it called "FC Hunks," which included England's Michael Owen and David Beckham, Arsenal's Robin van Persie and Fredrik Ljungberg, Brazil's Kaka, Spain's Fernando Torres and goalkeeper Iker Casillas, the Netherlands' Jan Kromkamp, and Mexico's Oswaldo Sanchez.
Several players landed on a reserve bench rather than the starting lineup, among them Ruud van Nistelrooy of the Netherlands, Paraguay's Nelson Haedo Valdez, Italy's Francesco Totti, and notably Arjen Robben, who missed the main team entirely. Gay Krant published the poll and its tournament squad prominently on its website.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in June 2006, in its own words.