Cristiano Ronaldo humbled as surprise Chelsea star named sexiest footballer of 2025

Cole Palmer might not be the first footballer that comes to mind when thinking of a sexy star, but he has surprisingly topped a poll, beating out some more expected names.

Big names like Cristiano Ronaldo, Jude Bellingham, and Jack Grealish were left behind by the former Manchester City playmaker in the top 10 list of 2025’s sexiest footballers.

The survey, conducted by Slotozilla, involved 2,500 British adults aged 18-55, and the results were quite unexpected.

A spokesperson for Slotozilla told the Daily Star: ‘Footballers have long been cultural icons, and our survey highlights how public perception evolves over time.

‘Cole Palmer’s rise to the top reflects not only his success on the pitch but also his growing status as a fan favourite,”

‘Meanwhile, names like Ronaldo and Mbappe continue to captivate global audiences, proving that confidence, success, and style go hand in hand.’

The surveyed British adults mostly favored players based in the UK, with Ronaldo, Bellingham, and Mbappe being the only non-Premier League players in the top 10.

Arsenal’s Declan Rice secured a commendable fourth place, while Erling Haaland’s Nordic appeal landed him in ninth position.

The surveyed people were asked to weigh up the attractiveness of 50 stars based on qualities including ‘facial symmetry and features, grooming and personal style, on-field presence and charisma, and social media appeal and engagement.’

Top 10 Sexiest Footballers

Cole Palmer – 19 per cent
Jude Bellingham – 17 per cent
Jack Grealish – 15 per cent
Declan Rice – 12 per cent
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 10 per cent
Bukayo Saka – 8 per cent
Marcus Rashford – 7 per cent
Cristiano Ronaldo – 6 per cent
Erling Haaland – 4 per cent
Kylian Mbappe – 2 per cent

The contest for the top spot was quite competitive, with Palmer securing 19 percent of the vote, just ahead of Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham, who earned 17 percent.

Despite a quiet spell on the pitch, Jack Grealish hasn’t lost his appeal, with the Manchester City winger receiving 15 percent of the vote.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Bukayo Saka, and Marcus Rashford also made it into the top 10, surpassing Ronaldo, who, based in Saudi Arabia, settled for eighth place with six percent of the vote.

Palmer will be hoping that this confidence boost helps him rediscover his best form after experiencing a bit of a goal drought.

The England star has not scored for Chelsea since January 14, when he netted in a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth, and he has yet to provide a Premier League assist in 2025.

With 14 Premier League goals so far this season, it seems more like a temporary dip rather than a major issue, but Palmer will be eager to contribute to goals again soon.

Chelsea returned to winning ways with a 4-0 victory over Southampton on Tuesday night and are next set to face FC Copenhagen in the Conference League on March 6.

They will return to Premier League action three days later when they host Leicester City.