Tennis players Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka were named sportsman and sportswoman of the year at the Laureus awards on Monday while Paris Saint-Germain was the team of the year.
Alcaraz won the French and U.S. Opens last year plus the Australian Open in January. Sabalenka, the top-ranked woman, won her second consecutive U.S. Open last year.
PSG broke through with its first Champions League title in 2025. Rory McIlroy, who successfully defended the Masters title this month, received the comeback of the year award.
Barcelona and Spain star Lamine Yamal, aged 18, won the young sportsperson of the year prize.
The Laureus World Sports Awards is an annual award ceremony honoring individuals and teams from the world of sports along with sporting achievements throughout the year.
It was established in 1999 by Laureus Sport for Good Foundation founding patrons Daimler and Richemont. It is supported by its global partners Mercedes-Benz, IWC Schaffhausen and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group.
The name “Laureus” is derived from the Greek word for laurel, considered a traditional symbol of victory in athletics.
The first ceremony was held on 25 May 2000 in Monte Carlo, at which South African president Nelson Mandela gave the keynote speech.
As of 2020, awards are made annually in eight categories, with a number of discretionary categories irregularly recognized.
The recipient of each award is presented with a Laureus statuette, created by Cartier, at an annual ceremony held in various locations around the world. As of 2020, the ceremonies have been held in eleven cities, and are broadcast in at least 160 countries.
Swiss tennis player Roger Federer holds the record for the most awards with six, five for Sportsman of the Year and one for Comeback of the Year.
American tennis player Serena Williams and American artistic gymnast Simone Biles holds the record for most awards held by a female with five, four for Sportswoman of the Year and one for Comeback of the Year.
Novak Djokovic won the 2024 Sports Man of the year award and grabbed his 5th title, making him the most decorated sportsman in the History of the Award along with Roger Federer.
A number of awards have been rescinded, namely those presented to American cyclist Lance Armstrong, American sprinter Marion Jones and Canadian amputee sprinter Earle Connor, each of whom were subsequently found to have illegally used drugs to achieve their records.
In the 2020 ceremony, Argentine footballer Lionel Messi became the first footballer to win the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award.
He is also the first and only athlete to win it coming from a team sport. Moreover, in 2023, Messi once again won it and became the only sportsperson as well as footballer to ever win the award twice from a team sport.
