Leo Messi and Lewis Hamilton shared the title of the best athlete in the world in 2019.
It was the first time that the prize of the "Laureus" academy was awarded to two athletes, and for the first time an athlete from a team sport was the best on the planet.
In 2019, Leo Messi was declared the best footballer in the world in the selection of FIFA (The Best award) and France Football (Golden Ball), while Lewis Hamilton won the sixth title of Formula 1 champion.
"I am proud to have received this award, this is an incredible success. I am glad to be the first athlete from a team sport to receive it. Thank you to the academy, thank you to the people who voted for me, it is a great honor to be the best in the world," he said is Messi, who did not attend the ceremony in Berlin.
And Hamilton was chosen as the best athlete in the world for the first time.
Last year's winner was Novak Djokovic.
The candidates this year were Rafael Nadal, Tiger Woods, Eliud Kipchoge and Marc Marquez.
In the women's competition, for the second year in a row, and for the third time in her career, the award went to American gymnast Simone Biles.
"Laureus" awards have been awarded to the best sportsmen and women in the world, as well as to teams, since 2000.
Roger Federer has five awards, Usain Bolt and Djokovic four each, Tiger Woods and Michael Schumacher were the best twice.
In the women's competition, Serena Williams was the best four times, Biles three times, and Jelena Ishinbayeva twice...
The award for a special achievement went to the Basketball Federation of Spain - in 2019, the men's team won the world title, and the women's team won the European title.
The Breakthrough of the Year award went to Colombian cyclist Egan Bernal, the youngest winner of the Tour d'France in the last 110 years.
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