Lionel Messi named Sportsman of the Year at Laureus World Sports Awards 2023

A week after causing a scandal by traveling to Saudi Arabia without the authorization of the management of PSG, Lionel Messi resumed training on Monday at Camp des Loges, his two-week suspension even being lifted. He then took the opportunity to go to the Pavillon Vendôme, a performance hall in the emblematic square of the same name, to receive the Sportsman of the Year trophy as part of the Laureus World Sports Awards 2023.

Lionel Messi arrives at the Laureus World Sports Awards 2023 this Monday evening in Paris (at the Pavillon Vendôme)
A journalist 🇦🇷 thanked him for the tercera, he got a wink in return 😜 pic.twitter.com/Ssk2hapkCg

— Football.fr (@football_fr) May 8, 2023

The Argentinian number 10, captain of the 2022 world champions, was named along with his Parisian teammate Kylian Mbappé, as well as Max Verstappen (who was defending champion), Rafael Nadal, Mondo Duplantis and Stephen Curry. Messi offers himself a double in the Laureus list: he shared the trophy with Lewis Hamilton in 2020. And he is crowned again in Paris, after the distinction of The Best Fifa Player of the Year.

The Argentinian selection is also named Team of the Year after its coronation in Qatar. The XV of France was also named, all the English women’s selection, the Golden State Warriors, the Red Bull Racing team and Real Madrid.

🏆 Lionel Messi is the 2023 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year.

The iconic footballer reached even greater heights last year, when he inspired @Argentina to a historic third @FIFAWorldCup triumph. 🇦🇷#Laureus23 pic.twitter.com/kE0N7XzC1h

— Laureus (@LaureusSport) May 8, 2023

Unsurprisingly there too, the distinction of revelation of the year went to Carlos Alcaraz, the young Spanish tennis sensation (20 years old), notably winner of the US Open. The Moroccan team, semi-finalist of the World Cup, was one of the nominees.