Rafael Nadal backs Lionel Messi to win Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award: 'He deserves it'

Tennis great Rafael Nadal has backed Argentina's World Cup-winning footballer Lionel Messi to win the 2023 Laureus Sportsman of the Year award and said the he deserves the honour.

Messi, who led Argentina to a dream FIFA World Cup title, along with Kylian Mbappe, tennis legend Rafael Nadal, Max Verstappen, NBA champion Steph Curry and pole vault world-record holder Mondo Duplantis were among the nominees announced for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award.

The nominees for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award spent 2022 climbing to the very pinnacle of their sport. Messi collected the one prize that had eluded him by leading Argentina to the World Cup.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion took to social media to endorse the football superstar.

"Vamos @leomessi te lo mereces tu [Come on Lionel Messi you deserve it]," Nadal said in an Instagram story.

The world's pre-eminent sporting Awards ceremony will celebrate not only athletes who thrilled sports fans over the previous 12 months but several who will end their careers with a claim to be the greatest in the history of their sport. Six Nominees have been selected across seven nominated Laureus categories, with six inspirational programmes also shortlisted for the Laureus Sport for Good Award.

More than 1,400 members of the Laureus Global Media Nominations Panel decided on all but one category Â- the shortlist for the Laureus World Sportsperson with a Disability Award was chosen by a specialist panel from the International Paralympic Committee.