Novak Djokovic Beats Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland to Laureus Award

• Novak Djokovic was crowned the winner of the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award on Monday
• The tennis star won the prestigious award ahead of football superstars Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland
• This is the fifth time the h36-year-old Serbian has won the gong, winning it for the first time in 2012

Tennis icon Novak Djokovic has beaten Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland to the prestigious Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award.

This is the fifth time Djokovic has won the prize in his illustrious tennis career.

According to Sportskeeda, the 36-year-old previously won the award in 2012, 2015, 2016, and 2019.

The Serbian was crowned the winner of the coveted gong after an impressive 2023 that saw him win three Grand Slam titles, the Australian Open, the French Open, and the US Open.

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Reacting to his triumph, Djokovic said:

"I am incredibly honoured to have won my fifth Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award. I think back to 2012 when I won it for the first time as a 24-year-old."

Why Halaand and Messi were nominated

Meanwhile, the duo of Messi and Haaland were nominated for the prize after an equally successful year in review.

Messi had previously led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup triumph in Qatar and also helped Paris Saint-Germain win the French top-flight title.

On his part, Haaland enjoyed a dream start to life with Manchester City, inspiring the Citizens to a historic treble in his debut season.

The Norwegian played a key part in the team's triumph in the Premier League, Champions League, and the FA Cup.

According to Metro UK, the former Borussia Dortmund ace scored an astonishing 52 goals across competitions, including an incredible 36 in the Premier League.

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How Messi beat Haaland to FIFA Best

Earlier, Sports Brief reported on a little-known rule that saw Messi win the FIFA Best Award ahead of Haaland back in January.

The two football stars were the frontrunners for the award alongside Paris Saint-Germain ace Kylian Mbappe and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane.