A recent study has determined that Rodrigo De Paul, a player for the Argentinian national team, is the most handsome footballer competing in the World Cup, based on calculations using the Golden Ratio. The analysis, conducted by DreamAI SRL, applied a mathematical formula devised by the ancient Greeks to measure facial beauty.
According to the findings, De Paul achieved a score of 74.18 percent. Germany's Kai Havertz followed in second place with 74.10 percent, and England's Noni Madueke secured third with 73.29 percent. Other notable players in the top rankings include Egypt's Mohamed Salah at fourth and Brazil's Endrick at fifth.
The Golden Ratio, also known as Phi, is a mathematical equation where facial proportions closer to the number 1.618 are considered more beautiful. Experts applied this ratio to a list of the 150 most Googled footballers participating in the tournament.
Georgi Dimitrov, CEO of DreamAI, noted that the study's results do not solely reflect football fame. "Some of the names people might expect to dominate are much further down," Dimitrov stated. Cristiano Ronaldo, a highly recognized figure in the sport, ranked 45th with a score of 70.98 percent, while Vinícius Jr was 46th with 70.97 percent. Dimitrov explained that the Golden Ratio focuses specifically on facial proportions and not on factors like grooming, marketability, or style.
Germany had a strong showing in the top rankings, with Havertz at second, Nick Woltemade at seventh, and Jonathan Tah at eighth. Dimitrov commented on this, saying, "Germany has three players in the top eight. That is probably not the country most people would immediately expect to stand out in this kind of ranking."
Several other well-known players, including Cody Gakpo, Bruno Fernandes, Alisson, Neymar, and Jude Bellingham, were among the top 25. However, they ranked below players like Madueke, Endrick, and Son Heung-Min, illustrating the study's focus on mathematical proportion over general recognition.
For comparison, the study also referenced Hollywood stars, where Aaron Taylor-Johnson was identified as the most handsome man globally with a score of 93.04 percent, ahead of Lucien Laviscount, Paul Mescal, and Robert Pattinson. This highlights the difference in scores between athletes and actors within this specific metric.
The Golden Ratio has historical ties to art and architecture, with Leonardo da Vinci utilizing it in his studies of the human form. The method involves measuring various facial features and their ratios to assess symmetry and proportion.