February 2025
This new study follows on from other surveys conducted by Discurv on Europeans’ perceptions of the sexiest celebrities in France, Italy, and other countries.
Preferences primarily focus on Eden Hazard, cited by 24% of respondents, making him the figure most spontaneously associated with Belgian sports fame.
A second group stands out with Dries Mertens (12%) and Thibaut Courtois (11%), two profiles frequently mentioned, reflecting strong and lasting recognition.
Other choices are more evenly spread: Jonathan Borlée (6%), Tom Boonen (5%), and several athletes cited at around 3%, such as Thomas Briels, Pieter Timmers, or Thomas Detry.
Finally, a few names appear more marginally, reflecting more individual preferences but also highlighting the diversity of recognized sporting figures.
Younger generations favor modern and highly mediatised figures. Regionally, Flanders and Wallonia show notable differences, particularly in votes for certain local figures.
Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois attract a significant female audience, confirming their status as appealing figures beyond their sporting performance. Men’s choices are more dispersed, showing interest in athletes from various disciplines (cycling, athletics, etc.).
Responses largely crystallize around Nafissatou Thiam, cited by 24% of respondents, indicating very strong and almost immediate recognition.
Behind her, Loena Hendrickx gathers 10% of mentions, while Lotte Kopecky and Kim Clijsters each reach 8%, showing strong attachment to profiles that combine performance and media visibility.
The remaining preferences are fairly evenly distributed: Ambre Ballenghien (6%), Sarah Chaari, Cynthia Bolingo, and Chloé Herbiet at around 5%, followed by a few more sporadic mentions below this threshold.
Overall, the results depict a balanced landscape, with one iconic figure clearly standing out, while several female athletes coexist in the collective imagination with similar levels of recognition.
Belgian sportswomen appeal through their notoriety and media exposure. Age strongly influences choices, with a divide between younger respondents who favor modern figures and older respondents who identify less with current athletes.
At the regional level, differences emerge between Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels. Some athletes benefit from stronger support in their region of origin.
Preferences primarily lean toward Matthias Schoenaerts, who receives 19% of mentions and appears as the most spontaneously cited reference.
A second group then stands out, with Louis Talpe (9%), Kevin Janssens (8%), and Jérémie Renier (7%), reflecting solid but more diffuse recognition.
The remaining mentions are gradually spread among several figures from Belgian cinema and the media scene: François Damiens (6%), Nabil Mallat (5%), followed by Geert Van Rampelberg and Benoît Poelvoorde at around 4%.
Finally, several personalities are mentioned more sporadically, illustrating a broad landscape of notoriety where preferences fragment beyond the most immediately recognizable figures.
Women predominantly vote for Matthias Schoenaerts and Kevin Janssens, confirming their appeal as charismatic and media-driven figures. Men are more divided, with a more balanced distribution among candidates.
Those aged 18–34 favor modern figures, notably Matthias Schoenaerts, Kevin Janssens, and Louis Talpe. Respondents aged 50 and over prefer more established figures such as François Damiens or Benoît Poelvoorde. The 66+ group is the most likely to respond “None of these celebrities,” reflecting a certain detachment from these personalities.
Flemish regions show stronger support for local actors, notably Louis Talpe and Matthias Schoenaerts. Wallonia is more divided, with a more balanced representation of different actors. Brussels presents a mix of both trends, supporting both French-speaking and Flemish figures.
Responses mainly focus on Virginie Efira, cited by 24% of respondents, making her the most spontaneously associated figure in this category.
A second level of identification emerges with Nathalie Meskens (13%) and Cécile de France (9%), who benefit from strong but more nuanced recognition.
Other actresses are mentioned more occasionally, such as Ella-June Henrard (7%), Veerle Baetens (6%), or Émilie Dequenne (5%), reflecting more targeted notoriety.
Finally, a significant share of respondents (15%) state that they do not identify with any of these celebrities, suggesting diverse reference points or a distance from the proposed figures.
Virginie Efira is the undisputed icon of seduction in Belgium, with a clear lead over other personalities. The generational gap is pronounced, with younger generations preferring modern figures and older ones being less engaged in celebrity choices.
Regional affiliation plays a role, with preferences varying across linguistic communities. Men and women perceive seduction differently: men favor glamorous, highly mediatised personalities, while women show more diversity in their choices.
These results confirm that perceptions of seduction in Belgium are strongly influenced by media image, cultural anchoring, and generational differences.
Responses are fairly dispersed, with a slightly stronger preference for Luc Gilson, cited by 10% of participants. He stands out as a recurring reference without overshadowing other profiles.
Just behind him, Nicolas Lacroix and Guillermo Guiz each receive 7%, illustrating comparable recognition and well-established popularity among part of the audience.
A second group emerges with César Casier (6%), followed by Philippe Geubels and Alex Agnew (both at 5%), who remain recognizable but more occasionally cited.
Finally, several comedians are mentioned more marginally—around 3 to 4%—such as Robert Van Impe, Sacha Legrand, Medhy Malanda, or Alain Gossuin, reflecting more diffuse notoriety.
Younger respondents (18–34) tend to vote more for new and dynamic figures such as Guillermo Guiz and Nicolas Lacroix, while older respondents favor Luc Gilson. A Flanders vs. Wallonia vs. Brussels disparity is visible: Walloon and Brussels respondents align more around certain TV profiles, while Flemish respondents seem less attached to the proposed media figures.
The majority of votes come from men, indicating that these male TV personalities appeal more to a male audience. Women appear less engaged in this type of ranking, which may explain the high abstention rate.
Responses show a fairly wide diversity of cited profiles, with several personalities appearing regularly. Julie Van den Steen is the most frequently mentioned (13%), indicating strong visibility among respondents without creating a massive gap.
Behind her, Virginie Hocq (10%) and Julie Vermeire (9%) emerge as well-identified figures, regularly cited within a relatively balanced set.
An intermediate core consists of Nawel Madani, Gaëlle Garcia Diaz, and Laura Beyne, with scores between 6% and 8%, reflecting solid but more targeted recognition.
Finally, several names are mentioned more sporadically—around 3 to 5%—such as Céline Dept, Chloé Kitembo, or Kenza Ameloot, confirming a fragmented distribution of preferences.
Men are more likely to vote for female figures associated with mediatised glamour, such as Nawel Madani and Gaëlle Garcia Diaz. Women show a more balanced distribution in their votes, with particular attention to personalities known for their charisma and authenticity.
Younger generations (18–34) favor personalities emerging from social media or new media trends. Older age groups are more likely to choose established figures from audiovisual media or comedy.
Personalities from Flanders appear to benefit from stronger recognition than those from Wallonia or Brussels. Regional distribution highlights the strong influence of local culture and media exposure.
This chart highlights a few musical figures who are mentioned more often than others, without overshadowing the rest of the citations. Stromae is mentioned by 14% of respondents, confirming his status as a strong, cross-generational cultural reference.
Just behind him, Metejoor (11%) and Loïc Nottet (10%) embody a highly identifiable contemporary Belgian scene, combining media visibility with strong artistic universes. Damso follows closely with 9%, illustrating the weight of French-language rap in expressed preferences.
A second group then emerges with more moderate but consistent scores: Pierre de Maere (6%), Lost Frequencies, and Henri PFR (around 5%), reflecting attachment to artists well established in their respective genres.
Finally, more sporadic mentions—such as Roméo Elvis, Tourist LeMC, or Green Montana—show a diversity of tastes, with niche but clearly present preferences.
Respondents aged 18–34 favor modern and dynamic figures such as Metejoor and Loïc Nottet. In Flanders, Dutch-speaking artists logically dominate, including Metejoor and Tourist LeMC.
In Wallonia, Stromae, Loïc Nottet, and Damso are more prominently highlighted. In Brussels, a more mixed distribution is visible, with a certain balance between French-speaking and Dutch-speaking artists. Women seem more attracted to artists with a carefully crafted image and a strong style, such as Stromae, Loïc Nottet, and Pierre de Maere.
This visual shows a concentration of affinities around a few well-identified artists, with a gradual dispersion toward other figures on the music scene. Angèle stands out clearly, cited by 27% of respondents, reflecting strong recognition and close cultural resonance.
A second group then emerges with Pommelien Thijs (11%) and Axelle Red (10%), illustrating a balance between contemporary artists and figures already well established in the Belgian musical landscape.
Other names appear more diffusely—Shay, Selah Sue, Mentissa, or Camille Dhont—reflecting more specific but still well-distributed preferences.
Finally, the significant share of “none of these celebrities” responses (10%) reminds us that part of the audience does not identify with these references, highlighting the diversity of tastes and musical universes within the sample.
Angèle confirms her status as an icon of seduction, particularly among men and younger generations. Preferences vary strongly by region and age, with a duality between modern figures and more classic icons. Younger respondents (18–34) favor Angèle and Shay, attracted by their modern and trendy image, while older respondents (50–65 and 66+) lean more toward established figures such as Axelle Red.
Walloon respondents vote overwhelmingly for Angèle, while Flanders is more divided between Pommelien Thijs and Selah Sue.
Male votes are dominated by Angèle, who strongly appeals to this audience, whereas female votes are more varied, split between Axelle Red, Shay, and Selah Sue.
Some figures are more popular in Wallonia, such as Angèle and Matthias Schoenaerts. Others are more appealing in Flanders, such as Pommelien Thijs and certain Flemish sports figures. Bilingual or international personalities (such as Virginie Efira and Eden Hazard) are better perceived across the country as a whole.
Men prefer glamorous and highly mediatised personalities such as Angèle, Nafissatou Thiam, or Virginie Efira.
Women place greater importance on charisma and longevity, voting more for Matthias Schoenaerts, Eden Hazard, and classic figures such as Axelle Red.
A study led by:
Audrey Mandefield, Senior Account Manager
Pauline Poché, Head of Insights Team
TO CITE THIS STUDY, PLEASE USE AT LEAST THE FOLLOWING WORDING
“Discurv study for XloveCam conducted via an online self-administered questionnaire in December 2024 among a sample of 1,000 people representative of the Belgian population aged 18 and over.”