Morocco’s World Cup Heroes Vie for Breakthrough Award at Laureus Ceremony

Among the other categories, the "Sportsman of the Year" title has six candidates, including American basketball player Stephen Curry, Swedish athlete Armand Duplantis, Frenchman Kylian Mbappé and Argentine Lionel Messi. Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal and Dutch Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen, last year’s winner, complete the list.

For the "Sportswoman of the Year" category, Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will compete with American swimmer Katie Ledecky, American athlete Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Spanish footballer Alexia Putellas, American skier Mikaela Shiffrin and Polish tennis player Iga Swiatek.

Distinctions will also be awarded for, among others, the team of the year, where the Argentine men’s football team, the English women’s football team, the French men’s rugby team, Golden State Warriors, Real Madrid and Red Bull Racing are featured.

The "Comeback of the Year" category includes Italian motorcycle rider Francesco Bagnaia, Danish footballer Christian Eriksen, Norwegian athlete Jakob Ingebrigtsen, American basketball player Klay Thompson, Dutch cyclist Annemiek van Vleuten and American golfer Tiger Woods.

The nominees were determined by a panel of 1,400 members from the media around the world. The 71 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, made up of former sports champions, will choose the winners of these prestigious awards, which have been presented since 2000.

The Laureus World Sports Awards honor athletes from all disciplines each year who have made their mark on the world of sport the previous year, as well as associations or individuals who promote sport for charitable purposes. The ceremony is organized by the Laureus Foundation.