Nominations Laureus Awards 2024, Max Verstappen and Novak Djokovic.. All the names

Nomination Laureus Awards 2024 – Lionel Messi, sportsman of the year in 2023, returns among the candidates together with other former winners of the award such as Max Verstappen and Novak Djokovic

This morning the nomination of the 25thª edition of the Laureus World Sports Awardsthe Oscars of sport, at the historic Casa de Correos in Madrid, seat of the Presidency of the Community of Madrid, in the presence of representatives of the Awards Host Partners, including the President of the Region of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayusoand the Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida. Also present at the announcement were legends of world sport and members of the Laureus Academy such as Luís Figo, Ruud Gullit, Nawal El Moutawakel And Alessandro Del Piero.

All candidates were selected following the voting carried out by over 1300 journalists of all the world. THE winners of the Laureus World Sports Awards will be announced next April 22, in Madridat the end of the voting of the Laureus World Sports Academy, the jury par excellence composed of 69 sports legends.

Lionel Messiabsolute dominator in Paris last year, is once again in contention for the “Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award” (“Sportsman of the Year”), after winning his eighth Ballon d'Or and leading Inter Miami to victory in the Concacaf League Cup. To compete for the title, Novak Djokovicalready a four-time winner of this award, capable of triumphing in 2023 in Melbourne, New York and Paris, winning 24 major titles and thus equaling Margaret Smith Court's record; Max Verstappenwho won this award in 2022, and last year set a new record of ten consecutive victories, winning 19 Grands Prix throughout the season, the fifth Formula 1 driver to win the world title three times; Duplantis Worldwho won his second world title and improved his pole vault world record on two occasions; Noah Lyles, gold medal at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay, a feat that Usain Bolt last achieved in 2015; And Erling Haaland, who scored 52 goals in 2023. Also thanks to his goals, Manchester City won the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.

Three of the candidates for the award “Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year” (“Sportswoman of the Year”) were protagonists at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. Faith Kipyegon (Kenya) became the first woman to win the 1,500 and 5,000 meters. Sha'Carri Richardsonstarting from lane nine in her first world final, won the 100m, then repeating the gold medal also in the 4x100m relay. Shericka Jackson she won the 200m with a time of 21''41, the second best performance ever over the distance, just seven hundredths of a second from Florence Griffith-Joyner's record which has stood for 35 years. In tennis, the Pole in 2023 Iga Świątek she won her third title at the French Open and regained first place in the world rankings with victory at the WTA Finals in Cancun. The footballer of the year was, however, Aitana Bonmatthe: in 365 days he won the World Cup with Spain, the Champions League and La Liga with Barcelona, ​​as well as the Ballon d'Or.

2023 was there'also year of Mikaela Shiffrinwho surpassed the historic record of 86 World Cup victories set by Ingemar Stenmark, and also won his seventh world giant slalom gold.

Vying for the prize “Laureus World Team of the Year Award” (Team of the Year) there are, however, the Spain women's national football team, who won their first World Cup, defeating England in the final; there German men's national basketball team, led by tournament MVP Dennis Schröder, who at the World Cup first defeated the United States in the semifinals and then Serbia in the final; The Manchester City, who achieved the treble, winning the Champions League, the Premier League and the FA Cup; The Springboks, who won their fourth Rugby World Cup, defeating New Zealand by a single point in a memorable final; there Oracle Red Bul Racing, which came close to perfection, winning all but one of the Formula 1 Grands Prix with its two single-seaters, and which won its second constructors' title; the team Europe Ryder Cupwho won the prestigious trophy in Rome, beating team USA by 16 ½ to 11 ½.

Defending the Italian colors is the 23-year-old paralympic swimmer Simone Barlaamcandidate in the category ”Laureus Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award” (“Sportsman with a disability”). The nominees in this special category are decided not only by the Laureus Global Media Panel but also by the vote of the International Paralympic Committee. Simone was born with a right leg that did not develop properly and has been operated on 13 times. But despite this he rediscovered his love for swimming and in 2023 he achieved exceptional results, winning 6 gold medals at the Paralympic World Swimming Championships in Manchester.

Confirming his absolute dominance in the pool, Simone won the 50, 100 and 400 meter freestyle in the S9 category, the 100 meter butterfly S9, the 100 meter backstroke S9 and the 4×100 meter freestyle mixed relay. Simone also made history in his sport: in the S9 category he became, in fact, the fastest swimmer of all time, beating the world record for the 50 meters freestyle with a time of 23''96, and thus becoming the first swimmer to dip below the 24 second mark.

To raise the prestigious statuette of the Laureus Awards, Simone will have to overcome the competition of Danylo ChufarovUkrainian paralympic swimmer, Gave de GrootDutch wheelchair tennis super star, Luca EklerHungarian Paralympic sprinter and long jumper, Nicole MurrayNew Zealand Paralympic cyclist, e Markus RehmGerman Paralympic long jumper.

To underline the candidacies of Simone Barlaam And Danylo Chufarov the swimming legend also spoke Mark Spitzmember of the Laureus World Sports Academy. «I congratulate Simone and Danylo on their nominations. It's great to see them in the running for such a prestigious award. They both had to go through really tough times to get to where they are today. Every year, when I read the list of achievements of the six nominees in this particular category, I realize that it is safe to say that all of them are already potential winners. They all have my respect and admiration.”

To keep the pride of our country high there is also “Objective Naples”, the project nominated in the category “Laureus Sport for Good Award”. This special category recognizes individuals or organizations who, according to members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, have made a significant contribution, using sport as a therapeutic tool to improve the lives of children and young people. “Obiettivo Napoli”, in particular, is a multidisciplinary project, which involves 100 boys and girls, supported by 15 coaches and educators. It aims to combat violence, inequality and discrimination. Through sport this project has achieved significant successes in building a safer, fairer and more inclusive community. The sports played are football, basketball, volleyball and taekwondo, which encourage the development of life skills, teamwork, discipline and communication.

Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award

Novak Djokovic (Serbia), tennis

Duplantis World (Sweden), athletics

Erling Haaland (Norway), football

Noah Lyles (USA), athletics

Lionel Messi (Argentina), football

Max Verstappen (Netherlands), motor racing

Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award

Aitana Bonmatí (Spain), football

Shericka Jackson (Jamaica), athletics

Faith Kipyegon (Kenya), athletics

Sha'Carri Richardson (USA), athletics

Mikaela Shiffrin (USA), alpine skiing

Iga Świątek (Poland), tennis

Laureus World Team of the Year Award

Team Europe Ryder Cupgolf

German men's national basketball team

Manchester City (England), football

Formula One team Oracle Red Bull Racing (Austria), motor racing

Springboks (South Africa), rugby

Spanish women's national football team

Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award

Jude Bellingham (UK), football

Linda Caicedo (Colombia), football

Coco Gauff (USA), tennis

Qin Haiyang (China), swimming

Josh Kerr (UK), athletics

Salma Paralluelo (Spain), football

Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award

Simone Biles (USA), artistic gymnastics

Sébastien Haller (Ivory Coast), football

Katarina Johnson-Thompson (UK), athletics

Siya Kolisi (South Africa), rugby

Jamal Murray (Canada), basketball

Marketa Vondroušová (Czech Republic), tennis

Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with Disability Award

Simone Barlaam (Italy), paralympic swimming

Danylo Chufarov (Ukraine), paralympic swimming

Gave de Groot (Netherlands), wheelchair tennis

Luca Ekler (Hungary), paralympic athletics

Nicole Murray (New Zealand), Paralympic cycling

Markus Rehm (Germany), Paralympic athletics

Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year Award

Rayssa Leal (Brazil), skateboard

Caroline Marks (USA), surfing

Kirsten Neuschȁfer (South Africa), sailing

Bethany Shriever (UK), bmx

Filipe Toledo (Brazil), surfing

Arisa Trew (Australia), skateboarding

Laureus Sport for Good Award

Programs selected by a specialized jury. The Laureus Academy will choose the winner

Bola Pra Frente (Brazil), multi-sport, uses sport to increase educational opportunities for young people

Dancing Grounds (USA), promotes social integration with dance

Fundación Rafa Nadal (Spain), tennis is a tool to promote education

ISF Cambodiafootball for education – It aims to break the cycle of poverty through football

Justice Desk Africa (South Africa), multi-sport for human rights – Help young people fight for their human rights through sport

Objective Naples (Italy) multi-sport for inclusion – Violence, inequality and discrimination are combated through football, basketball, volleyball and taekwondo.