Khabor Wala Desk
Published: 20th June 2026, 8:24 PM
Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul has been ranked as the most “attractive” footballer of the World Cup in a mathematical analysis conducted using artificial intelligence, according to a study published by the organisation “DreamGF”.
The ranking was produced by analysing facial features of 150 of the most popular World Cup footballers identified through Google search data. The study applied the ancient mathematical principle known as the “golden ratio”, which is widely used to assess facial symmetry, balance, and proportionality.
According to the results of the AI-based evaluation, Rodrigo De Paul secured first place with a score of 74.18%. He was followed closely by Germany forward Kai Havertz, who scored 74.10%, while England winger Noni Madueke ranked third with 73.29%.
The top five was completed by Egypt forward Mohamed Salah in fourth place with 73.27% and Brazil’s young forward Endrick in fifth place with 73.25%. South Korea captain Son Heung-min narrowly missed out on the top five, finishing sixth with a score of 73.24%, a margin of just 0.01%.
| Rank | Player | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rodrigo De Paul | Argentina | 74.18% |
| 2 | Kai Havertz | Germany | 74.10% |
| 3 | Noni Madueke | England | 73.29% |
| 4 | Mohamed Salah | Egypt | 73.27% |
| 5 | Endrick | Brazil | 73.25% |
DreamAI chief executive Georgi Dimitrov stated that the list was not influenced by a player’s popularity, on-field performance, or fan base. He noted that several globally recognised footballers ranked lower than expected, while De Paul unexpectedly secured the top position.
The study further clarified that factors such as personal style, hairstyle, or media popularity were not taken into account. The assessment was based solely on mathematical and geometric facial proportions derived from the golden ratio principle.
Among other notable placements, France’s Rayan Cherki ranked 22nd. Brazil forward Neymar Jr and England midfielder Jude Bellingham were placed 23rd and 24th respectively. Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo, despite his global profile and long-standing attention to physical fitness and appearance, was ranked 45th in the list.
The results highlight significant variation between widely recognised public image and mathematically derived facial symmetry scores, as defined by the methodology used in the study.
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