Haaland and Messi in contention for Laureus World Sports award

Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi are among the nominees for the 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards.

The star duo are up against world No1 tennis great Novak Djokovic, pole vault world record holder Mondo Duplantis, 100m world champion Noah Lyles and Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen in the World Sportsman of the Year category.

Haaland's club side Manchester City are nominated in the World Team of the Year list along with the European Ryder Cup Team, FIBA World Cup champions Germany, Red Bull F1 team, Rugby World Cup champions South Africa and Women's World Cup winners Spain.

Norwegian ace Haaland said: "Last year was a very special year for me and the whole team.

"I couldn't have scored the number of goals I did without my incredible team-mates, the coaches and staff at the club — without them the success would not be possible.

"I am really proud to be nominated for the Laureus Sportsman of the Year award alongside so many other incredible athletes."

Boss Pep Guardiola, who guided City to a historic Treble last season, added: "We are really proud for our club to have been nominated for the Laureus World Team of the Year award.

"Of course we are nominated because we won so much last season and the credit must go to all our players, all our staff who worked so hard throughout the season to compete in England and across Europe.

"It is an honour to be included in such an illustrious list of teams who also achieved success at the elite level of sport last year."

Elsewhere, Spain and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati is among the nominees for World Sportswoman of the Year, Jude Bellingham is in contention for the World Breakthrough of the Year award and Ivory Coast striker Sebastien Haller is included in the World Comeback of the Year category.

The winners will be announced at the Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony in Madrid on Monday, April 22.