Alba dropped to No. 3, coming behind actress and former model Jessica Biel but ahead of Canadian actress Elisha Cuthbert who was ranked fourth after her horror movie Captivity last year. U.S actress and singer Scarlett Johansson, 23, rounded out the top five.
Fox debuted on the list at No. 68 in 2006 and was ranked No. 65 last year. But playing the lead female role in Transformers, a blockbuster $700 million hit at worldwide box-offices, markedly raised her profile.
Also in the top 10 were Emmanuelle Chriqui, Hilary Duff, Tricia Helfer, Blake Lively and Kate Beckinsale.
Newcomers to the list included Victoria Beckham, aka Posh Spice from British pop band the Spice Girls, who moved to Los Angeles with her husband, English soccer player David Beckham, last year. She made her debut at No. 99.
Spears, 26, whose career has been buried under an avalanche of personal and mental health problems, managed to make the list at No. 100, a steep decline from 2004 when she was voted the world’s sexiest woman.
FHM’s 100 Sexiest Women in the World poll is now in its 14th year with nearly 9 million votes cast this year by FHM readers worldwide to choose the sexiest women in film, television, music, sports and fashion.
