The Colombian's stratospheric rise to stardom - in which he outscored everyone at the World Cup this summer - has seen him been named the hottest person on the planet

James Rodriguez has been voted the sexiest man of 2014 following his World Cup heroics and estimated €80 million transfer to Real Madrid.

People En Espanol magazine awarded the title to the Colombia superstar, who recently launched his own range of branded underpants, after going from promising talent to global superstar overnight by grabbing the Golden Boot in Brazil this summer.

James' wife insisted that his personality is what makes the attacking midfielder so alluring, not necessarily his boyish good looks - though it probably also helps that he earns more in a week than most people on the planet earn in a year!

"He's a very attractive man," Daniela Ospina said. "But what I most like is the way he is, his personality. It's what I really love."

Meanwhile, James' mother insists that fame has not gone to the 23-year-old's head and that he remains humble about his talent on the football pitch.

"He is still the same," Maria del Pilar Rubio added. "What characterises him most is his humility, "

Past winners of the English language version of the award include Hollywood actors Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Johnny Depp, Matt Damon and Ryan Reynolds.

The 'sexiest man on the planet' tag now gives James bragging rights in the Santiago Bernabeu dressing room over Cristiano Ronaldo, although the new Madrid player still has some way to be considered hotter than his Ballon d'Or-winning team-mate on the pitch.

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