I know this website is mainly US Soccer related, but I thought I’d share a little news from the global soccer ally sphere. Every December, prominent French gay magazine Têtu polls readers on who they think is the sexiest Ligue 1 player. The winner is then offered the chance to grace their cover. It’s not required that they accept (2009 winner Yoann Gourcuff decline to appear on the cover). However, it’s always more fun when they do. Last year’s winner was French international Adil Rami, who beat out our very own captain and soccer ally Carlos Bocanegra (who, playing for St. Etienne at the time, did not even make the top 3!).

France National Team forward, Ligue 1’s 2011-2012 Golden Boot winner, and player for recently crowned champions Montpellier Hérault SC (and my personal favorite French player) Olivier Giroud was selected back in December, and I eagerly waited to see if he would agree to be on the cover. He teased fans via Facebook about a month ago with one of the photos and tagged it as “photo shooting.” Last week, pictures began to leak and Kickette got their hands on all of them via French website A Cause des Garçons (which of course I’m sharing with you all here!).

Besides the super steamy pictures we all get to salivate over, this annual cover gives the magazine a chance to partner up with their own soccer allies to create an open and warm community. Giroud told the magazine he was happy to be on the cover and hopes that his actions will help change peoples attitudes.

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