Tennis superstar Rafael Nadal has underlined his humility once again after backing Lionel Messi to beat him to one of the top awards in sports.
Both athletes find themselves among the six nominees shortlisted for Sportsman of the Year at the upcoming Laureus World Sports Awards. Nadal, 36, won both the Australian Open and French Open in 2022 to temporarily move clear of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer as the all-time record-holder of major titles in men's tennis (22).
However, the Spaniard—who has been named Sportsman of the Year on two occasions (2011 and 2021)—took to Instagram to shine the spotlight on one 'rival' in particular. Nadal described it as "an honor (sic) to be nominated again" by Laureus before shifting the attention to World Cup-winner Messi.
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"Vamos Messi te lo mereces tu," wrote the tennis legend, which translates to: "Come on Messi, you deserve it." Much of the sporting world was overjoyed to see seven-time Ballon d'Or-winner Messi finally lift the World Cup in Qatar, as Argentina beat France on penalties having drawn 3-3 at the end of extra time.
Messi scored twice during those 120 minutes, as well as converting from the spot when he took the opening penalty in the shootout. Les Bleus' Kylian Mbappe—who scored a hat-trick in the final and finished as the tournament's top scorer—has also been nominated for Laureus' Sportsman of the Year prize.
Two-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen and four-time NBA champ Steph Curry were also announced on the shortlist after helping to dominate their respective fields in 2022. Completing the six-man contingent was Swedish world champion pole-vaulter Mondo Duplantis, who continued to break barriers in his own discipline last year.
Nadal also congratulated compatriot Carlos Alcaraz on his nomination for the Breakthrough of the Year Award. HIs fellow Spaniard became the youngest player to ever top the men's tennis rankings after winning his maiden Grand Slam when he lifted the U.S. Open title at just 19 last September.
It's nothing new for Nadal to display great modesty towards his peers despite having his own claims to fame. His reverence is all the more laudable considering rumours of retirement continue to escalate, with many suggesting this could be the veteran's final season in tennis.
But even that isn't enough for the titanic talent to seek plaudits when he feels there's someone more deserving. Messi had agonised for international success despite endless awards at club and individual level, and last year's World Cup triumph was the perfect moment to cap a unique career.
