May 08, (THEWILL) – Lionel Messi has won the World Sportsman of the Year award at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards held in Paris.
The recognition comes after Messi led Argentina to their third World Cup victory in December, where he scored an impressive seven goals and was awarded the Golden Ball. Reflecting on the achievement, Messi expressed his gratitude, stating: “I want to thank all my teammates, not only from the national team but also at PSG. I have achieved none of this alone and I am grateful to be able to share everything with them.”
Carlos Alcaraz, the 19-year-old tennis prodigy, was awarded the Breakthrough of the Year after his remarkable win at the US Open, where he became the youngest men’s number one in history. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the track and field star, received the Sportswoman of the Year award for her outstanding performance in the 100m at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon. Overjoyed by the recognition, Fraser-Pryce remarked: “To win this award, voted for by some of the greatest sportsmen and women of all time, is just amazing.”
Christian Eriksen, the Manchester United and Denmark midfielder, was presented with the Comeback of the Year award following his inspiring return to football after suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch during Euro 2020. Other notable winners included Catherine Debrunner, a World Para champion; Eileen Gu, an Olympic gold medalist in freestyle skiing, and TeamUp.
The Laureus Academy, comprised of sporting legends, voted for the award recipients, making the accolades even more meaningful.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
