'Bourne Ultimatum' star Matt Damon was named the sexiest man alive by PEOPLE Magazine.

Damon is the 22nd holder of the magazine's title which was awarded to George Clooney both last year and in 1997, to Matthew McConaughey in 2005 and Jude Law in 2004. The first winner in 1985 was Mel Gibson.

"George Clooney and Brad Pitt have shamelessly campaigned for him since 2001, but all it takes is one look at Damon's piercing blue eyes, crooked smile and family-guy demeanor to understand why he has been chosen," the magazine said in a statement.

But the 37-year-old actor accepted the award reluctantly, even suggesting he was not the best man for the role.

"You gave an aging suburban dad the ego boost of a lifetime. My 9-year-old stepdaughter now thinks I'm cool - well, cooler," wrote Damon in a letter to PEOPLE.

"At the risk of being forward, if you asked me (which you didn't) I would suggest Patriots quarterback Tom Brady for this award. He's like a taller, better-looking version of me anyway. Plus, he's the best quarterback in the history of football."

The following is an excerpt from PEOPLE's Cover Story on Damon: Yes, George Clooney and Brad Pitt have shamelessly campaigned for him since 2001, but this year's winner was Bourne to the title. Named America's most bankable star by Forbes, the golden boy with the crooked smile is smart, charming and humble to boot. "You gave an aging suburban dad the ego boost of a lifetime," wrote Damon, 37, in a letter to PEOPLE, explaining why he couldn't possibly accept the crown.

Unfortunately for him, his gambit backfired, because the letter – which we've reprinted, with his permission – perfectly demonstrates many of the reasons we chose him in the first place: irresistible sense of humor, rock-solid family man (he and wife Luciana have two daughters), heart-melting humility. And to bolster our case even more, we called in for backup from former title-holders Clooney and Ben Affleck , who also offer their insights into why – like it or not – Damon is this year's Sexiest Man Alive.

Excerpt From Damon's Letter to PEOPLE

First off, I must say I was floored when I heard you guys voted me the Sexiest Man Alive for 2007. I guess all the campaigning finally paid off. Ditching Clooney as a campaign manager and going with Brad for the final push was an emotional decision, but I knew it was going to be tight and the youth vote was going to make or break me. So, thanks for making my political calculus look so sound.

Unfortunately, after all those years out on the trail, the meet and greets, the fund-raisers, the stump speeches, I've finally come to terms with the fact that this is a mantle I wasn't meant to hold. The main problem for me in accepting an award like this is that when I do interviews they are to promote a project I'm involved with. So if the questions get too personal, I can always say, "Sorry, I'll pass on that one, I'd rather talk about Bourne 18: Jason Meets Freddy," or whatever.

This interview would be to promote, well, me. And as shameless a self-promoter as I am, invariably the questions will turn toward things like fatherhood, and although this is my favorite topic in private (in fact, I rarely shut up about it), it would mean some extra unwanted attention on my little ones. I'm really trying to give them as little of the celebrity stuff as I can.

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