Lionesses land Laureus World Sports Awards nomination

Euro 2022 champions England have earned a nomination for this year's Laureus World Sports Awards.

The Lionesses are shortlisted for the World Team of the Year alongside the likes of World Cup winners Argentina and Champions League victors Real Madrid.

A 2-1 triumph against Germany gave Sarina Wiegman's outfit their first major international honour and the Dutch coach was pleased to see their performance recognised.

Wiegman, 53, said: "2022 was a memorable year for women’s football and I know I speak on behalf of the players and support team to say it is a real honour to be shortlisted for the Laureus World Team of the Year award.

"To be recognised against five other teams across the world and to fly the flag for women’s sport is something that we’re hugely proud of.

"The reaction to last summer’s victory continues to fill us with joy and as we prepare for another big year, we are grateful to those who nominated us.

"We’ll keep our fingers crossed that we’re successful on the evening."

2022 Six Nations winners France, defending NBA champions Golden State Warriors and Formula 1 constructors' champions Red Bull are the other three teams in contention for the prize.

Mbappe vs Messi

In the Sportsman of the Year category, Paris Saint-Germain team-mates Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi are set to go head-to-head.

The PSG duo are up against NBA star Steph Curry, pole vault world-record holder Mondo Duplantis, 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal and F1 world champion Max Verstappen.

Barcelona ace Alexia Putellas is the only football representative for the sportswoman award, with Polish tennis sensation and world No1 Iga Swiatek among five other possible winners of the accolade.

Great Dane

Denmark and Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen has also been recognised for his remarkable recovery from a cardiac arrest in June 2021, shortlisted for the World Comeback of the Year award.

Eriksen, 31, initially made his first steps back on to the pitch with Brentford, before singing for United last summer.

The former Ajax, Tottenham and Inter Milan maestro then went on to represent his country at the 2022 World Cup, playing a full 90 minutes in each of the three group stage games for Kasper Hjulmand's men.

What are the Laureus World Sports Awards?

The Laureus World Sports Awards is an annual event celebrating the best performers across multiple disciplines.

Six nominees are selected in each category by a vote of the Laureus media nominations panel which consists of 1,400 sports journalists, editors and broadcasters from around the world.

Shortlists for the Laureus World Sportsperson with a Disability award and the Laureus Sport for Good award are chosen by specialist panels. 

A vote by the Laureus World Sports Academy, comprising 71 sporting legends, will decide this year's winners, with the ceremony scheduled to take place in the spring.

Since the first ceremony held in Monaco in 2000, Swiss tennis icon Roger Federer has scooped the men's award a record five times, while fellow star of the court Serena Williams holds the women's record with four wins.