This June, while many Americans are worrying about the life in pitchers' arms, most of the planet will be thinking about feet, especially those attached to players on the 32 teams competing in Germany for the World Cup. Sadly, this fascination with worldwide fútbol is lost on many Americans; if only they would try to wrap their heads around the beauty of a truly global excuse to yell, drink beer and watch sports over breakfast, during work and into the wee hours, maybe they would overcome their reluctance and embrace an idea of universal partying held by everyone from Brazilian samba dancers to Iraqi insurgents to Keira Knightley. The only sporting term that is exactly the same in any language? "Gooooooaaaaaal!"
Perhaps the only other global phenomenon as universally appreciated is Playboy. Thus it was a stroke of inspiration when, at a convocation in Malta of the top editors of Playboy's 21 international editions, the idea was hatched for the magazine to salute the World Cup by assembling its own team of all-star beauties. So it happened that 14 stunners who represent Playboy--some hailing from such pillars of the soccer world as Brazil, Germany and the Netherlands, and others from such farflung outposts of soccermania as Japan, Russia and, yes, the USA--gathered for a week of fun and photos at the Mansion. Think of them as Playboy's World Soccer Team. Admit it: You like this sport more already.
See more of these Soccer babes at cyber.playboy.com.
