Lionel Messi has won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year and Team of the Year Awards at the ceremony held in Paris recently. The awards recognised the best athletes in the world in 2022, and Messi has won the World Sportsman of the Year award twice.
The Argentine is the only player to have won the award as a footballer, and has now done it twice. He was named the player of the tournament at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and captained them to a winning campaign as well, helping their men’s national team win the Team of the Year award.
Lionel Messi wins the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award for the second time
The Laureus awards were held in person for the first time since 2020, with COVID restrictions now lifted. Messi was one of the top scorers at the tournament, but missed out on the Golden Boot to PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe.
However, he won the ultimate prize by lifting the World Cup trophy – the only missing piece in his illustrious career. Even at 35, he is having an eye-catching season with PSG domestically, registering one of the highest assist figures in all of Europe.
Christian Eriksen won the Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award, having recovered from a cardiac arrest on the pitch to now play with Manchester United, while also playing every minute of Denmark’s World Cup campaign.
