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

“The message is: look, we are very normal – and lovely – girls!”

Despite dominating women’s football for years, German players have persistently been dogged by doughty tomboy stereotypes.

But that may all be changing as Germany prepares to host this summer’s World Cup, said midfielder Julia Simic.

“I think we are well on our way to getting rid of that image,” she told Playboy. “More and more sweet, pretty girls are playing football who also go shopping and place value on their appearance.”

German fans still hope their women show the toughness necessary to make a run at the World Cup title, but the photo shoot brings out a feminine side ordinary football fans rarely see from their sporting heroines.

See photos of the German players here

Still think all female footballers are butch?

The Local/adn