Lionel Messi Wins Laureus Sportsman of the Year Award

Lionel Messi has earned another honor…

The 32-year-old Argentine soccer star, a six-time Ballon d’Or winner, tied Lewis Hamilton for the Laureus Sportsman of the Year award.

Lionel Messi

The men’s award was shared for the first time, with Messi and Hamilton getting an equal share of the votes from fans worldwide.

Messi became the first soccer player to get the award after helping lead Barcelona to the Spanish La Ligatitle. Hamilton won his sixth Formula Onechampionship.

“I am honored to be the first to win this award being a sportsperson coming from a team sport, and not an individual sport, which is usually the case,” Messi said in a videotaped message.

Gymnastics star Simone Bileswas named the Laureus Sportswoman of the Yearfor the third time.

Snowboarder Chloe Kimwon her second straight Action Sportsperson of the Yearaward and the Ukraine-born Oksana Masterswas named Disability Sportsperson of the Year.

German basketball great Dirk Nowitzki, who retired last year after a 21-year career with the Dallas Mavericks, was honored with a Lifetime Achievement award and described as the “greatest European basketball player ever.”

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