In 2023, Max Verstappen had an incredible season, winning 19 of the 22 races. Over the course, he also smashed multiple records, including most podium finishes, most wins in a row (10), and most points in a season. Because of this outstanding performance, the Dutchman is currently a nominee for the 25th Laureus World Sports Awards. Naturally, as the award is about the greatest of all-time athletes, it surely can’t leave the legendary footballer Lionel Messi out. However, what remains interesting to note is that the nomination of the Argentine star alongside Max Verstappen will give him a chance to double his redemption.
This is because, despite Max Verstappen’s incredible performance, Lionel Messi was selected as the winner of the coveted award in 2023. However, now that the Dutchman has again been nominated for the ‘Sportsman of the Year award’ he can double his redemption.
In addition to, Verstappen and Messi, Novak Djokovic (Tennis), Mondo Duplantis (Athletics), Noah Lyles (Athletics), and Erling Haaland (Soccer) have also been nominated.
1300 members of the Laureus Global Media panel made this selection among seven award categories with six candidates each. Given that every nominee has had a strong year, there will certainly be fierce competition. Even though Messi set a new record by winning the Ballon d’Or and leading Miami CF to victory in the League Cup (his 44th trophy) it doesn’t guarantee him the award.
However, for Verstappen, this nomination holds particular significance, given it includes his team Red Bull’s nomination as well. The Milton Keynes side showed supreme dominance last year as they won 21 out of 22 races.
Hence, he now has the opportunity to tie the record set by Lionel Messi, who last year became the first athlete to win both team and sportsman of the year awards.
Max Verstappen is the choice of Twitter F1 fans for the Laureus Sports Man of the Year award
For the third season in a row, Max Verstappen is up for the Laurues award. Although he was chosen as the 2022 winner, the fans now again want him to take home the trophy. On social media, Verstappen’s followers have pinpointed the supernatural stat that the Dutchman etched to his name last year. Considering that one of the fans with the moniker @FCN_Thijmen believes that the Dutchman surely deserves this award.
Some fans even went so far as to suggest that they are curious to know what Messi has done in 2023 to be suitable for the award.
The nomination process is now complete, and fans will have to wait until April 22nd to find out the results.
