David Beckham, Rafael Nadal and Cristiano Ronaldo… they’re all sports stars who sold pants by posing in their briefs

It really is the pants...

Ever since we had a chuckle at Zlatan Ibrahimovic launching his new underwear range, it triggered our thinking into past sports stars who have shifted boxers and briefs.

The likes of Freddie Ljungberg, Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham have all laid their toned physiques on the line to pose in their smalls.

Let SunSport remind you of past ads where sporting heroes have posed in their undies all in the name of a reputable fashion brand.

David Beckham

He's been a marketer's dream for years, so it's no wonder that Beckham has had his own underwear range and has modeled for one of the biggest designers in the world.

Back in 2007, he became the face (or pants) of Giorgio Armani in an exclusive £20m three-year deal.

Getting a taste for some undergarment action, Beckham then inked a deal with high-street store H&M to release his own bodywear collection in 2012.

He's been quiet in the underwear department since 2016, so is a new underwear deal on the cards soon?

Gisela Dulko

Argentinian tennis player Gisela is married to footballer Fernando Gago, so it's no wonder they didn't do an underwear ad together.

But in 2012, she shot a sexy photoshoot for Selu Lingerie which really showed off the charms that had Gago presumably gaga.

She actually retired from the tennis game to pursue a career in modeling in the first place.

However, since the shoot she's had two kids - Mateo and Antonella - so she has the fashion world on hold for now.

James Rodriguez

A latecomer to the underwear range, the Colombian playmaker launched his own range called 'J10 James' back in 2014.

It was done in tandem with Bronzini Black, who had banked on the playmaker's star name to shift pants.

As well as underwear, James also modeled hoodies, henleys and sweats for the extensive range.

However, the skivvies can't have done too well because they're not available anymore.

That said, they were stylish enough, even if James looked slightly embarrassed posing in them.

Magdalena Neuner

The stunning German biathlete found a cunning way to grab our attention when she retired.

In 2013 she posed for Mey underwear in her native country and showed off her incredible pins.

It really left us hoping for a little bit more, but it was the only ad she would do for the underwear giant.

Real pity, that.

Freddie Ljungberg

The Arsenal legend was as famous in north London for his goals on the pitch as he was for this Calvin Klein ad in the 2000s.

His image adorned billboards all over the world, including in the US, with Amerincans not having a clue he was a professional footballer.

Freddie opened the door for tennis stars Fernando Verdasco and Janko Tipsarevic to model for Calvin Klein too.

Caroline Wozniacki

The tennis great also signed a massive deal with JBS in 2012 and she treated us to some sexy ads.

However, that didn't booster sales - and she eventually lost out to Ronaldo in 2013 when she was dropped in favour of the Portuguese star.

Still, at least we have these stunning photographs to fall back on.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Like Beckham, Cristiano is an advertiser's best weapon.

Good-looking, built like an adonis, he was always going to be a prime contender to model pants.

So it was no surprise in 2010 when a shoot with Armani emerged which showed the Real Madrid star showing off his best 'Zoolander' impression.

In 2013 he signed a deal with Danish underwear giants JBS to produce his own range, which has flown off the shelves.

He also posed in his pants in a photo shoot for Vanity Fair for the 2010 World Cup.

Other footballers also dropped their trousers for the mag, including Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto'o.

Floyd Mayweather and Nicklas Bendtner

Since they both endorsed Paddy Power, we're lumping them together.

Both the self-confessed greatest footballer ever in Nicklas and the greatest boxer of all-time in Floyd went with the betting giants in a fetching green colour.

Bendtner was fined £80k and banned for one international game for flashing his after scoring against Portugal in a Euro 2012 match.

While Floyd flashed his support for the Irish bookies at the weigh-in of his fight with Conor McGregor.

Ellyse Perry

Top Aussie cricketer Ellyse is a star on and off the pitch, thanks in part to her stunning shoot with Jockey.

The stunning blonde has also represented her country in football, playing for the 'Socceroos' at the 2011 World Cup.

She's been an ambassador for Jockey since 2013, so long may that relationship continue, we say.

The Italian football team

Those Italian footballers normally have all the luck when it comes to fashion.

If the world's leading designers aren't designing suits for the national team before they fly off to a World Cup, then they're designing their pants too.

Back, Sack & Zlat Zlatan Ibrahimovic strips down to just his pants to promote new underwear range in bizarre video

The Azzuri, represented by the likes of Fabio Cannavaro, Gennaro Gattuso and Andrea Pirlo posed for Dolce & Gabbana in this revealing ad in 2006.

It started off a chain of similar ads for Italy that seem to appear prior to their big tournaments.

Serena Williams

Arguably the greatest tennis player of all time was bound to get her own underwear range.

Serena became an ambassador for a curvy lingerie line brought out by Aussie company Berlei in 2016.

She'd already endorsed their sports bras before, wearing them on court as she blasted her way to victory.

Rafael Nadal

Another Giorgio Armani regular, the Spanish tennis star was one of the OGs when it came to working with the Italian fashion house.

Not only did he pose in his underwear, he also waltzed into the world of Armani Jeans and looked boss in shirts and suits.

Since that success, Rafael has moved on to Tommy Hilfiger and is an ambassador for their THFLEX range.