Lionel Messi, Novak Djokovic, Simone Biles and Mikaela Shiffrin, among the Laureus Award nominees

Lionel Messi, Novak Djokovic, Simone Biles and Aitana Bonmatí are some of the nominees for the Laureus Awards, considered the Oscars of the sport, which will be awarded on April 22 at the gala that will take place in Madrid, Spain.

The announcement was made at the Real Casa de Correos in Madrid with the presence of the mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, and some of the judges of the Laureus World Sports Academy, such as former soccer players Luis Figo, Ruud Gullit and Alessandro del Piero. The awards began to be awarded in 2000 and distinguish the best in the following categories: best male and female athlete, best team, revelation of the year, comeback of the year, best athlete with disabilities, best action athlete and the Laureus Sport For Good Award.

Argentinian Messi, winner in 2020 and 2023, will compete for the best athlete of the year alongside Serbian tennis player Djokovic, Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis, American sprinter Noah Lyles and Dutch pilot Max Verstappen.

As for those nominated to win the Laureus Awards for the best athletes in 2023, three of the six come from athletics: the American Sha’Carri Richardson, the Jamaican Shericka Jackson and the Kenyan Faith Kipyegon. The others who will seek the award will be the Spanish soccer player Aitana Bonmatí, the American skier Mikaela Shiffrin and the Polish tennis player Iga Swiatek.

In addition, gymnast Simone Biles, who won best athlete three times (2017, 2019 and 2020), is nominated this time for comeback of the year and the American tennis player Coco Gauff is one of the candidates for the breakthrough award.

Meanwhile, the Best Team of the Year Award will be contested by Manchester City, the Springboks, the Spanish women’s soccer team, the European Ryder Cup team, the German men’s basketball team and Red Bull Formula One.

All Laureus Award 2024 nominees

Best male athlete: Novak Djokovic Leo Messi Erling Haaland Armand Duplantis Noah Lyles Max Verstappen

Best female athlete: Aitana Bonmatí Shericka Jackson Faith Kipyegon Sha’Carri Richardson Mikaela Shiffrin Iga Swiatek

Best team: Spain women’s national soccer team Ryder Cup European Team German national basketball team Manchester City Red Bull Springboks (South Africa rugby team)

Revelation of the Year: Jude Bellingham Linda Caicedo Coco Gauff Qin Haiyang Josh Kerr Salma Paralluelo

Nominees for comeback of the year: Simone Biles Sébastien Haller Katarina Johnson-Thompson Siya Kolisi Jamal Murray Marketa Vondrousova

Best athlete with disabilities: Simone Barlaam (Para Swimming) Danylo Chufarov (Para Swimming) Diede de Groot (Wheelchair Tennis) Luca Ekler (Para Athletics) Nicole Murray (Para-cycling) Markus Rehm (Para-Athletics)

Best action athlete: Rayssa Leal (Skateboarding) Caroline Marks (Surf) Kirsten Neuschafer (Sail) Bethany Shriever (BMX) Felipe Toledo (Surf) Arisa Trew (Skateboarding)

Laureus Sport For Good Award: Forehead Ball (Multisport - Employability) Dancing Grounds (Dance - Social Integration) Rafa Nadal Foundation (Tennis - Education) ISF Cambodia (Football - Education) Justice Desk Africa (Multisport - Human Rights) Obiettivo Napoli (Multisport - Inclusion)