Cristiano Ronaldo: Gareth Bale Likes My New Underwear

If you ever wondered if footballers had become a little more metrosexual in the 21st century, here's a story that you can cite as evidence.

First of all, Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo launched his underwear line last month. It was quite a spectacle, with oversized posters of a buffed and bronzed Ronaldo in his underwear.

Now, the Portuguese star has claimed that rather than having the mickey taken mercilessly by his teammates, he's instead been passing pants around the Real Madrid changing room and that the response has been pretty positive.

Gareth Bale, in fact, has even given the briefs the Welsh seal of approval.

According to quotes picked up by Massimo Marioni of Metro:

"

They saw [the pictures] today because I gave them all a pair of boxers. A few [of his team-mates] said: “Oh, really nice – you’re looking good.”

Bale was there and he said, “Yeah, looking good”. He’s such a fantastic boy. Fabio Coentrao also mentioned that he liked them. Pepe actually put them on as soon as I gave them to him. He said: “You’ll have to send me more.”

"

On the one hand, Pepe can afford to buy some more if he likes them that much. On the other, any man who is capable of this kind of on-pitch meltdown should probably just be given the pants he demands before he gets angry.

When the bad boys are playing with the star striker's underwear, you know football has come some way since the Leeds team of the 1970s.