The Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsman of the Year award is the biggest recognized award for the best sportsperson in a specific year. They call it the Oscar of the Sports World. It is a yearly award honoring the achievements of individual men from the sports world. It is awarded by the “Laureus Sport for Good Foundation” since 2000. The French capital of Paris generally hosts the event most years. Take a look at the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award Winners List. Leo Messi Net Worth (2023).
Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Winners List
So far, the award has been given 24 times. Among those, there were 11 different winners from 9 different countries and 5 varied sports. Take a look at the full list of Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Winners.
Laureus Award Winners List
Year & Edition | Sportsman Name | Number of Awards | Country | Sport Name |
2000 (1st) | Tiger Woods | 1st | United States of America | Golf |
2001 (2nd) | Tiger Woods | 2nd | United States of America | Golf |
2002 (3rd) | Michael Schumacher | 1st | Germany | Formula One |
2003 (4th) | Lance Armstrong (Rescinded Later) | 1st, Later Canceled | United States of America | Cycling |
2004 (5th) | Michael Schumacher | 2nd | Germany | Formula One |
2005 (6th) | Roger Federer | 1st | Switzerland | Tennis |
2006 (7th) | Roger Federer | 2nd | Switzerland | Tennis |
2007 (8th) | Roger Federer | 3rd | Switzerland | Tennis |
2008 (9th) | Roger Federer | 4th | Switzerland | Tennis |
2009 (10th) | Usain Bolt | 1st | Jamaica | Athletics |
2010 (11th) | Usain Bolt | 2nd | Jamaica | Athletics |
2011 (12th) | Rafael Nadal | 1st | Spain | Tennis |
2012 (13th) | Novak Djokovic | 1st | Serbia | Tennis |
2013 (14th) | Usain Bolt | 3rd | Jamaica | Athletics |
2014 (15th) | Sebastian Vettel | 1st | Germany | Formula One |
2015 (16th) | Novak Djokovic | 2nd | Serbia | Tennis |
2016 (17th) | Novak Djokovic | 2nd | Serbia | Tennis |
2017 (18th) | Usain Bolt | 4th | Jamaica | Athletics |
2018 (19th) | Roger Federer | 5th | Switzerland | Tennis |
2019 (20th) | Novak Djokovic | 3rd | Serbia | Tennis |
2020 (21st) | Lionel Messi & Lewis Hamilton | 1st for Both | Argentina, Great Britain | Football & Formula One |
2021 (22nd) | Rafael Nadal | 2nd | Spain | Tennis |
2022 (23rd) | Max Verstappen | 1st | Netherlands | Formula One |
2023 (24th) | Lionel Messi | 2nd | Argentina | Football |
Laureus Sportsman of the Year 2023 Nominees
The latest edition of the “Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award” in 2023 featured 6 nominees from 6 countries and 5 different sports. Take a look at all the nominees for the 2023 edition.
Who is nominated for the Laureus World Sports award for Sportsman of the Year 2023?
Nominee Name | Country | Sport |
Lionel Messi | Argentina | Football |
Stephen Curry | United States of America | Basketball |
Armand Duplantis | Sweden | Athletics |
Kylian Mbappe | France | Football |
Rafael Nadal | Spain | Tennis |
Max Verstappen | Netherlands | Motor Racing |
Who won Laureus Sportsman of the Year 2023?
Football sensation, Lionel Messi won the Laureus Sportsman of the Year Award in 2023. It was his 2nd time to win this award. He has kept behind 5 other nominees including his fellow sports and club-mate Kylian Mbappe to achieve this award. The main reason for this left-footed football king to win this award was his incredible performances for Argentina in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar which saw his country breaking the 36 years WC drought.
Laureus Sportsman of the Year Messi
Messi is the only footballer to win this award even at least once. In fact, the Argentine is the only player from a team game to win this award. No other player has ever won this award even once while playing a team game, let alone twice.
The former Barcelona star was nominated 7 times and went on to win it on 2 occasions. His first 5 runs in the award ended in being just a nominee but the last 2 times he received the nomination, he won it.
Year | Number of Nomination | Final Outcome |
2010 | 1st | Didn’t Win the Award |
2011 | 2nd | Didn’t Win the Award |
2012 | 3rd | Didn’t Win the Award |
2013 | 4th | Didn’t Win the Award |
2016 | 5th | Didn’t Win the Award |
2020 | 6th | Won the Award for the 1st Time |
2023 | 7th | Won the Award for the 2nd Time |
Laureus Award Winner Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo has won the Ballon d’Or a total of 5 times and in each next edition of the Lauresus Sportsman Award, he got nominated. He was nominated for this award a total of 5 times, the 2nd most by any footballer. However, the Portuguese football star, failed to win the award even once, leaving Leo Messi as the only footballer to win it. Will Ronaldo Play Euro 2024, Next World Cup? (Retirement Plans).
Year | Number of Nomination | Final Outcome |
2009 | 1st | Didn’t Win the Award |
2014 | 2nd | Didn’t Win the Award |
2015 | 3rd | Didn’t Win the Award |
2017 | 4th | Didn’t Win the Award |
2018 | 5th | Didn’t Win the Award |
Who won the most Laureus Sportsman of the Year award?
Tennis superstar Roger Federer is the highest-time winner of the Laureus Sportsman of the Year award. The Swiss sensation has lifted the award as many as 5 times. He is followed by his sporting-rival Novak Djokovic and the fastest man in world history Usain Bolt. Both of them occupy the 2nd spot with 4 awards for each. Federer also holds the 2nd most nominations alongside 4 other sportsmen in history including Nadal, Messi, Bolt, and Lewis Hamilton.
Who has won most Laureus award?
Find out the most Laureus Sportsman Award winners list.
Name | Number of Titles | Years of Win | Country | Sport |
Roger Federer | 5 Titles | 2005-08, 2018 | Switzerland | Tennis |
Usain Bolt | 4 Titles | 2009-10, 2013, 2017 | Jamaica | Athletics |
Novak Djokovic | 4 Titles | 2012, 2015-16, 2019 | Serbia | Tennis |
Tiger Woods | 2 Titles | 2000-01 | USA | Golf |
Lionel Messi | 2 Titles | 2020, 2023 | Argentina | Football |
Rafael Nadal | 2 Titles | 2011, 2021 | Spain | Tennis |
Michael Schumacher | 2 Titles | 2002, 2004 | Germany | Formula One |
Who is the best sports man in the world?
The winner of the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award is the best sportsman in the world. However, the current winner of this award is Lionel Messi who won his 2nd title in 2023. Hence, the current best sportsman in the world is Lionel Messi from Argentina.
Laureus Sportsman of the Year 2022
Max Verstappen was the winner of the Laureus Sportsman of the Year in 2022. The Dutch Formula One superstar won his first-ever title in 2022. It was his first-ever nomination as well, although he went on to be nominated in 2023 again. He is the only sportsman from Netherlands to be nominated and win this award.
Laureus Sportsman of the Year 2021
Rafael Nadal who has had a total of 7 nominations in this award, was nominated for the 6th time in 2021. He won his 2nd title that year after winning his maiden award back in 2011.
Who won the Laureus award in 2020?
The Laureus Sportsman of the Year Award in 2020 was won by 2 sportsmen. The current holder Lionel Messi had his 1st title while Lewis Hamilton also won his first and only title that year. The Formula One driver from Great Britain got nominated on as many as 7 occasions but won the award just once.