Messi wins Laureus World Sportsman award, Argentina named team of the Year
Messi became the first player in history to win both the team and individual awards in the same year.
KATHMANDU: Argentina captain Lionel Messi has received the Laureus World Sportsman Award. The team of the year award was won by Argentina.
Argentina’s captain Messi, who won the World Cup in November and December, managed to score seven goals and earn the Golden Ball.
This is the second time that Messi had won the Laureus Sportsman of the Year award.
Messi became the first player in history to win both the team and individual awards in the same year.
A PSG forward added, ‘This is a wonderful honor. I’d want to thank not only the national team but also all of my PSG colleagues. I did not do all of this alone, and I am grateful to be able to share it with them.’
The 35-year-old Paris St Germain forward has previously won the award once before, sharing it with Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton in 2020.
Argentina overcame 2018 champion France in a tiebreaker to win the world title for the third time.
Argentina beat England’s Euro 2022 winners Lyonesse, Men’s Champions League winners Real Madrid and France’s Men’s Six Nations champions to win the award.
History maker! Lionel Messi is the first ever athlete to win the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year and Laureus World Team of the Year Awards in the same year.#Laureus23 pic.twitter.com/WJeaBghAMA
— Laureus (@LaureusSport) May 8, 2023
