History
Laureus World Sports Award was founded in 1999 by Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. Its patrons were two of the big tycoon companies, Daimler (now Mercedes) & Richemont.
The award was based to support the foundation’s work spread in 40 countries and helping in over 160 community projects. The objective of this foundation is to end violence, discrimination & disadvantage, and to prove that sport has the power to change the world.
The name “Laureus” was taken from the Greek word for laurel, considered a traditional symbol of victory in athletics.
Inaugural ceremony was held in Monaco in 2000 when Nelson Mandela gave that historic first speech and Tiger Woods became the first ever winner of Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsman of the year.
Voting Process
The awards honor the greatest and the most inspirational sporting triumphs of the year. There are seven categories of awards (sportsman, sportswoman, team, comeback, breakthrough, action & Sport for good) and are shortlisted by votes through 1400 members of the Laureus Global Media Nominations Panel.
The most distinctive part of Laureus Awards is its final stage of the judging process. Laureus World Sports Academy’s 71 members take a vote which includes; Olympic champions, world-record breakers, and athletes who redefined their sports and make up the ultimate jury to determine the sporting achievements of the year.
Also Read: LeBron James: The Highest Point Scorer in History of American Basketball
When will the ceremony be?
The ceremony for the World’s most prestigious sporting award will be held in Spring this year probably between March & April with more details about the venue yet to be revealed.
Most Laureus World Sports Awards
Roger Federer has won the coveted prize a total of six times, five for ‘Sportsman of the Year’ and one for ‘Comeback of the Year’.
Nominees for Laureus World Sportsman of the Year 2023
The year 2022 saw some amazing performances from all over the globe. From Lionel Messi finally getting his hands on the prestigious FIFA World Cup to Rafael Nadal who won his 22nd Grand Slam the most in men’s tennis history. Here is the list of the nominees:
- Lionel Messi – FIFA World Cup Champion, Golden Ball, Finalissima & Ligue 1.
- Rafael Nadal – Two Grand Slams titles to make history’s best of 22.
- Kylian Mbappe – Golden Boot & Ligue 1.
- Max Verstappen – Formula One World Champion.
- Stephen Curry – NBA Champion.
- Mondo Duplantis – Three world records & two world titles.
Who Deserves it This Year?
World’s most prestigious individual award is up for grabs and it has to be one of the most daunting tasks for the jury to decide the winner. Athletes of such stature and the kind of impact & performances they gave on the pitch it is just so difficult to pick one. All of the nominees had the extraordinary year in 2022 but there can be only one winner.
For me, it has to be ‘Lionel Messi’.
Messi is already a one time winner of Laureus World Sportsman of The Year Award in 2020 when he became the first football player ever in history to win it and also became the first one to win it from a team sport.
Messi had already won everything there was to win, from both individual to team level but there was one trophy that had eluded him all his career and that was the FIFA World Cup.
Throughout his career he had to face this tag of international failure after losing four major finals with Argentina National Team & without an international trophy. But from the past 2 years his undying ambition of winning a trophy with his nation, he turned this all around by first leading Argentina to their first Copa America since 1993, then won the Finalissima in 2022 & then the ultimate trophy to complete his stellar football career.
The whole FIFA World Cup 2022 was like a fairytale to Messi. He led Argentina to their third World Cup after 36 years. He was their most decisive & phenomenal player during the whole tournament. He stepped up for his nation with 07 goals (2nd most) & 03 assists (joint most) with two goals in the Final itself.
Recently Rafael Nadal posted on instagram saying, “Come on Leo Messi you deserve it” to publicly show his support for the Argentine to which Messi also replied, “That an athlete as great as you says that about me leaves me speechless… Thank you very much, Rafa Nadal, you also deserve everything for the way you compete every time you go out on the court. You’re a winner, maybe we have a lot of competition there, huh? You also deserve the Laureus award this year, really.”
It’s just fittingly that the football’s greatest player ever wins this prestigious award once more & he deserves so.
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