Soccer players pose for Playboy

Five members of the German women's soccer team have posed for Playboy to show they are just "normal" girls, The Local news website reported Friday.

WORLD CUP BABES

No wonder they call it the beautiful game. Just check out the babes at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

The cover of the July issue of the magazine's German edition shows the players posing in a very risque version of the national team's black and white soccer uniform, including very low-cut tops and bikini bottoms.

The five players said they agreed to participate in the erotic photo shoot to help throw off the perception that they were all tomboys.

"With these photos, we want to disprove the cliche that all female footballers are butch," Germany midfielder Kristina Gessat told the magazine.

"The message is: look, we are very normal — and lovely — girls!"

Midfielder Julia Simic said, "More and more sweet, pretty girls are playing football who also go shopping and place value on their appearance."

Germany's been a perennial women's soccer power for years and is preparing to host the World Cup, which begins June 26.