Last Update: May 09, 2023, 01:58 IST
Lionel Messi, who attended the ceremony with wife Antonella Roccuzzo, previously won the award jointly with British Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton in 2020. (Image: Laureus / Twitter)
Messi, 35, finally collected his first World Cup winner’s medal in Qatar last December after a thrilling penalty shootout final victory over France
Argentina and Paris Saint-Germain legend Lionel Messi on Monday collected a unique double, landing individual and team Laureus awards for his and his World Cup-winning country’s exploits.
Messi, 35, collected his first World Cup winner’s medal following a thrilling penalty shootout final win over France in Qatar last December – enough to earn him an individual accolade, while the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner took home the team award. also accepted. Prestigious Paris Festival.
The Argentine, who attended the ceremony with wife Antonella Roccuzzo, previously won the award jointly with British Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton in 2020.
The praise saw Messi, who earned a fine and suspension from PSG for making an unauthorized promotional trip to Saudi Arabia, particularly see competition from club-mate Kylian Mbappe, whose World Cup final hat-trick earned him glory in Qatar. Wasn’t enough.
Jamaican sprinter Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who claimed a fifth world 100m crown last August in Eugene, Oregon, won the Female Athlete of the Year award, while US Open tennis champion Carlos Alcaraz earned the World Breakthrough of the Year award. Did.
Speaking of football, Denmark and Manchester United star Christian Eriksen earned a comeback award for returning to the top of the European game after suffering a heart attack during the Euros two years ago.
Swiss para-athlete sensation Kathrine Debrunner meanwhile won a disability award after winning her opening two marathons
The Sport for Good award was presented to TeamUp – a program for children displaced by war – by Barcelona and Poland star Robert Lewandowski.
Meanwhile, Chinese-American Olympic ski freestyle champion Eileen Gu won the World Action Sportsperson Award.
The awards have been given annually since 2000 by a 71-member jury from the Laureus World Sports Academy, representing athletic excellence of the last 50 years.
This year’s ceremony was followed by two virtual editions due to Covid restrictions.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)
