When Nelson Mandela stood on that stage in Monaco back in 2000 and said sport has the power to change the world, he wasn't just being poetic. He was launching the first-ever Laureus World Sports Awards. Since then, the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year has basically become the "Oscar of Sport." It’s the one trophy that every elite athlete actually cares about because it’s not just about stats—it’s about peer recognition.
But honestly, the way people talk about this award is kinda messy. Most fans think it’s just a popularity contest or a "who had the best season" recap. It’s way more complicated than that.
Why Winning This is Harder Than an Olympic Gold
Ask Armand "Mondo" Duplantis. The guy has broken the pole vault world record so many times it’s almost becoming routine. He has two Olympic golds. Yet, it took him three consecutive nominations to finally snag his first Laureus World Sportsman of the Year title in 2025.
During the ceremony in Madrid, he admitted that winning this felt harder than the Olympics.
Why? Because the voting process is a two-step gauntlet. First, you have over 1,300 sports media members from 100+ countries narrowing down a shortlist. That’s the easy part. Then, the real "jury" steps in: the Laureus World Sports Academy. We’re talking about 69 living legends—people like Usain Bolt, Nadia Comăneci, and Michael Johnson.
Imagine trying to convince Usain Bolt that you’re the best athlete on the planet. That’s the level we’re talking about.
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The Great Tennis Domination
If you look at the history books, tennis players have basically treated this award like their personal property. It’s wild. Out of the 26 awards handed out since 2000, tennis has grabbed 12 of them.
- Roger Federer: 5 wins (plus a Comeback of the Year award).
- Novak Djokovic: 5 wins.
- Rafael Nadal: 2 wins.
Roger and Novak are currently tied for the most wins ever in this category. People always argue about the GOAT in tennis, but at Laureus, they’re literally neck-and-neck. Federer had that insane run from 2005 to 2008 where he won four in a row. Djokovic, on the other hand, showed his longevity by winning his fifth in 2024, matching Federer’s tally nearly two decades after Roger started.
The "Team Sport" Curse
Here is something most people totally miss: it is incredibly rare for an athlete from a team sport to win.
For the first twenty years of the award, every single winner was an individual athlete. Golfers like Tiger Woods, F1 drivers like Michael Schumacher, or track stars like Usain Bolt. It wasn't until 2020 that the seal finally broke.
That year was weird for a lot of reasons, but it gave us the first-ever tie. Lionel Messi and Lewis Hamilton shared the honors. Messi then came back in 2023 to win it outright after dragging Argentina to a World Cup victory.
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To this day, Messi is the only football player to ever win it. Not Cristiano Ronaldo. Not Ronaldinho. Just Messi. It tells you everything you need to know about how high the bar is for team athletes. You basically have to win the World Cup and be the undisputed best player on Earth just to get a look-in.
What Really Happened in 2025?
The 2025 ceremony in Madrid was a massive celebration of the "new guard." While the veterans usually dominate, Mondo Duplantis finally got his flowers. He beat out some heavy hitters:
- Carlos Alcaraz: Who had a monster year with a French Open and Wimbledon double.
- Léon Marchand: The French swimming sensation who took four golds in Paris.
- Tadej Pogačar: The man who completed the "Triple Crown" of cycling (Tour, Giro, and Worlds).
- Max Verstappen: Looking for his second Laureus after a fourth straight F1 title.
The fact that Duplantis won against that list shows that the Academy is starting to value record-breaking dominance over just "winning the big game."
The Controversy You Forgot About
We can't talk about the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year without mentioning the names that were erased. Lance Armstrong won in 2003. He was the king of the world back then. After his doping scandal blew up, Laureus eventually rescinded his awards.
It was a wake-up call for the Academy. It's why they now lean so heavily on the "Sport for Good" aspect. The trophy isn't just a 2.5kg silver and gold-plated Cartier statue; it’s supposed to represent integrity.
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Breaking Down the "How-To" for Nominees
If you want to understand who is going to win in 2026 or beyond, look at three things:
- The "Global" Factor: Does the sport have a massive international footprint? This is why F1 and Tennis do so well.
- The "Legend" Peer Review: Would a retired legend look at this performance and say, "I couldn't have done that"?
- Historical Context: Did the athlete do something that hasn't been done in 50 years? (Like Duplantis breaking the record 11 times or Marchand’s Olympic haul).
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're following the race for the next Laureus World Sportsman of the Year, don't just look at the stat sheet. Start by tracking the "Global Media Panel" buzz around December. That’s when the shortlist is formed.
You should also keep an eye on the "Comeback of the Year" category. Often, a win there (like Federer in 2018 or Simone Biles in 2024) is a precursor to a Sportsman/Sportswoman of the Year run the following season.
To stay ahead of the curve, watch the Laureus social feeds during the "Selection Period" (usually late Q4). They drop hints about which performances are resonating with the Academy. If you see a lot of content about a specific athlete's impact off the field or their "fair play" moments, they are likely moving up the ballot.
Lastly, check the official Laureus website for the full list of Academy members. Understanding who is voting—whether they are former cricketers, gymnasts, or footballers—gives you a much better idea of which way the wind is blowing for the next big ceremony.