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Footballing hunk Rio Ferdinand has toppled his England team-mate David Beckham as Britain's best-dressed man. The Manchester United defender, who appears astride a powerful motorcycle in ads for Ben Sherman shirts, was voted number one in an annual poll to find the UK's most stylish male.
His triumph marks the end of an era, as Becks has taken the top spot for the past three years. And although Rio is better-known for his "corn-roll" hairstyle than his clothes, GQ Magazine, which organises the event, says he is the very epitome of understated chic.
"He is the unlikely hero of the hour, a footballer who takes himself just seriously enough," says editor Dylan Jones. "He is a clotheshorse in the best sense of the word and has got great dress sense."
Rio was one of a series of soccer stars who appeared in our recent Fit Footballers report. Among the other handsome athletes making their mark on the modelling game are goalkeeper David James, who appears in ads for H&M, and Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, who strikes a pose for Pepe Jeans. Armani meanwhile counts on the talents of Brazilian heart-throb Kaká, while Arsenal hunk Freddie Ljungberg is a Calvin Klein undies pin-up.
The sport's most famous clothes horse, David Beckham, has been relegated to the title of worst-dressed man of the last 12 months. Renowned shoe designer Manolo Blahnik, who helped judge the event, pulled no punches in his criticism of the England skipper. "He is the original fashion victim," he said. |
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