Only one athlete has ever won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award while playing in a team sport. Incidentally, this individual has won the prestigious prize twice! Soccer icon Lionel Messi is the man in focus and he is also in the running for the 2024 edition. Fellow soccer player and IFFHS Player of the Year, Erling Haaland, is also in contention. Will Haaland prevent the 8x Ballon d’Or winner from securing a 3rd title or will he share the same fate as Kylian Mbappe last year?

Other nominees include Novak Djokovic (Tennis), Max Verstappen (Motor Racing), Noah Lyles (Athletics) & Mondo Duplantis (Athletics). The winner will be crowned on April 22, but between Lionel Messi & Erling Haaland, who has the chance to come out on top? Let’s look at their achievements in the previous calendar year.

Lionel Messi vs Haaland: Stats in 2023

In 2023, Lionel Messi played 44 games for club & country while racking up 28 goals and providing 12 assists. However, Erling Haaland has the clear edge in terms of sheer numbers. The Norwegian goal machine scored an astonishing 50 goals and provided 4 assists. The numbers could have been higher if not for injuries in the latter half of 2023. But the numbers didn’t help Haaland win the Ballon d’Or over Messi.

This is because Lionel Messi’s overall game is more well-rounded than the Manchester City striker. Hence, there are aspects of his game that cannot be measured by statistics. This is an area where Haaland has been urged to improve as well. Let’s move on to the collective achievements next.

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Lionel Messi vs Haaland: Trophies won in 2023

Lionel Messi’s trophy list in 2023 was more quality than quantity. The Inter Miami star won the Ligue 1 with PSG, before heading to MLS. Messi’s arrival resulted in Inter Miami winning their first-ever trophy in history, the Leagues Cup. An immense achievement by all standards, especially in the US.

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Erling Haaland and Manchester City won the treble in 2023. Consequently, Manchester City went on to win the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. However, Haaland didn’t play a single minute of the Club World Cup, which means his trophy haul stands at 4.

The biggest threat to the soccer duo

Everybody on the nomination list enjoyed a stunning calendar year and is more than worthy of securing the prestigious prize. However, Novak Djokovic, by his own admission, called 2023 his ‘best year’. The Tennis ace won 3 Grand Slams, including the Australian Open, Roland Garros, and the US Open. Moreover, he also made it to the Wimbledon final as well. Considering a near-perfect campaign, Djokovic is the man to beat for Messi & Haaland.

Will Lionel Messi win the 2024 Laureus Sportsman of the Year award? Let us know in the comments below.

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