Lionel Messi Beats Kylian Mbappe To Win 2023 Laureus World Sportsman Of The Year Award
Lionel Messi won the Sportsman of the Year prize at Monday's 2023 Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony in Paris.
Messi, who attended the event with wife Antonela Roccuzzo, had been up against fellow Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe for the award.
Formula One world champion Max Verstappen, tennis legend Rafael Nadal, NBA icon Stephen Curry and record-breaking pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis had also been nominated.
Messi won the award after leading Argentina to a famous triumph at the FIFA World Cup last year.
This was the second time that Messi had won the Laureus Sportsman of the Year award.
He had previously shared the award with Lewis Hamilton in 2020.
Lionel Messi pictured (center) with wife Antonela Roccuzzo (left) at the 2023 Laureus World Sports Awards in Paris
IMAGO/PanoramiC/Federico Pestellini
Messi's Argentina side won the Laureus World Team of the Year award on Monday.
Meanwhile, Manchester United playmaker Christian Eriksen won the Laureus World Comeback of the Year award following his successful return to the Premier League after suffering a cardiac arrest on the field in June 2021.
Barcelona and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski was also recognized for his work with the 'TeamUp' program, which was set up to help children displaced by war.
2023 Laureus World Sports Awards: Full List Of Winners
- Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award: Lionel Messi
- Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
- Laureus World Team of the Year award: Argentina men's football team
- Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year award: Carlos Alcaraz
- Laureus World Comeback of the Year award: Christian Eriksen
- Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability award: Catherine Debrunner
- Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year award: Eileen Gu
- Laureus Sport for Good award: TeamUp
