Lionel Messi trumped Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen at the prestigious Laureus Awards on Monday in the race for the title Sportsman of the Year. It is the second time that he has won the prize for the 35-year-old Argentinian.
Messi shows Verstappen his heels and wins prestigious title in Paris
Messi was not the only footballer who made a shot at the title in Paris. Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappé was also nominated. So did tennis player Rafael Nadal, pole vaulter Armand Duplantis and basketball player Stephen Curry. Just like Verstappen, who won the prize last year, they had to lose against Messi.
The shortlist came about after votes from more than a thousand sports journalists from more than seventy countries. In the end, a 71-person jury, including Ruud Gullit, determined the winners per category. Just like three years ago, the choice for Sportsman of the Year fell on Messi. Then the Argentinian still had to share the title with Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton.
Lionel Messi’s international teammate Lisandro Martínez also stood with a trophy in his hands. On behalf of Argentina, he accepted the award for ‘team of the year’.
Agent Lewandowski talks to Messi about Barcelona
Lionel Messi, his wife Antonella Roccuzzo and Robert Lewandowski had an amused conversation at the Laureus Awards on Monday.
Lewandowski, the Barcelona striker since last summer, has never made a secret of wanting to play alongside Messi. It has not yet come to that, but there is intense speculation in Spain about a return of the Argentinian superstar to Catalonia.
While Saudi Arabia is also mentioned as a potential destination, the conversation between Messi and Lewa on Monday was only about Barcelona. For example, Messi asked whether the Pole lives in the same neighborhood as him and Roccuzzo shared that Lewandowski and his partner are in love with the city.
In any case, Messi’s time at Paris Saint-Germain seems to be ending soon. The contract of the 35-year-old world champion expires after this season. Last week he was briefly discredited after he missed training because he had to go to Saudi Arabia as an ambassador.
