Nominees for the Laureus World Sports Awards have been rolled out and winners will be officially announced in May at a virtual awards event.
It is an award ceremony honouring 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 and supported by its global partners Mercedes-Benz, IWC Schaffhausen and MUFG.
Liverpool have been shortlisted in the Team of the Year category for the Laureus World Sports Awards, while Lewis Hamilton is among the nominees for the World Sportsman of the Year Award.
The Reds won the Premier League under Jurgen Klopp to end their 30-year wait for a top-flight league title in 2020 and are joined by Mercedes-AMG Petronas after their seventh consecutive Constructors’ Championship.
Current holder Hamilton, 36, is listed in the Sportsman of the Year category after winning his seventh Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship – equalling Michael Schumacher’s record.
“2020 was a difficult year for so many people, for many different reasons and of course the world of sport was hugely affected,” Hamilton said.
“I was fortunate enough to be able to race and I’m so proud of what we, as a team, were able to achieve together.”
Hamilton also spoke of his pride at beginning to improve diversity in the motorsport industry after he launched a research project called The Hamilton Commission.
He added: “Nelson Mandela was the inspiration behind Laureus and I’m sure he would support everything we can do, to use sport to achieve a greater good.”
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is also included in the six-person Sportsman of the Year shortlist after he won his fourth NBA title and fourth Finals MVP award, with Robert Lewandowski named after he scored 55 goals to help Bayern Munich win the Champions League and Bundesliga.
Naomi Osaka, winner of the Laureus Breakthrough Award in 2019, is nominated for the World Sportswoman of the Year Award, after winning her third Grand Slam singles title at the US Open.
Also on the shortlist are Brigid Kosgei, winner of the London Marathon and Wendie Renard, captain of Lyon who won a fifth straight Women’s Champions League.
Two-time USA World Cup winner Alex Morgan is listed in the World Comeback of the Year Award after she made her debut for WSL club Tottenham just 184 days after giving birth to her first child.
Tadej Pogacar, 21, is nominated for the World Breakthrough of the Year Award after he became the youngest rider in a century to win the Tour de France, with Patrick Mahomes included in the shortlist after he led Kansas City Chiefs to their first Super Bowl in 50 years.
The Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award and the Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year Award will not be presented due to the significantly reduced amount of activity that took place in some sports.
For the first time ever, three programmes have been shortlisted for the Laureus Sport for Good Award, reflecting the contribution made by grassroots sports organisations during the Covid-19 pandemic.
There will be additional special Laureus Awards acknowledging the wider impact on society made by athletes.
The winners of each category – voted for by the 68 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy – will be announced in May at a virtual awards event.
Full list of nominees
Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award
Joshua Cheptegei (Uganda) – Athletics
Armand Duplantis (Sweden) – Athletics
Lewis Hamilton (UK) – Motor Racing
LeBron James (USA) – Basketball
Robert Lewandowski (Poland) – Football
Rafael Nadal (Spain) – Tennis
Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award
Anna van der Breggen (Netherlands) – Cycling
Federica Brignone (Italy) – Skiing
Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) – Athletics
Naomi Osaka (Japan) – Tennis
Wendie Renard (France) – Football
Breanna Stewart (USA) – Basketball
Laureus World Team of the Year Award
Argentina Men’s Rugby Team
Bayern Munich (Germany) – Football
Kansas City Chiefs (USA) – American Football
Liverpool (UK) – Football
Los Angeles Lakers (USA) – Basketball
Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team (Germany) – Motor Racing
Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award
Ansu Fati (Spain) – Football
Patrick Mahomes (USA) – American Football
Joan Mir (Spain) – Motor Cycling
Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia) – Cycling
Iga Swiatek (Poland) – Tennis
Dominic Thiem (Austria) – Tennis
Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award
Daniel Bard (USA) – Baseball
Kento Momota (Japan) – Badminton
Alex Morgan (USA) – Football
Max Parrot (Canada) – Snowboarding
Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) – Skiing
Alex Smith (USA) – American Football
Laureus Sport for Good Award
Boxgirls Kenya – Boxing – supports and empowers at-risk girls in underserved slum communities in Nairobi.
Fundación Colombianitos (Colombia) – Football & Rugby – bridges gender gaps and promotes education.
KICKFORMORE (Germany) – Football – empowers youth to make positive contributions in their communities. – (Sky Sports)
