Rafael Nadal graciously endorses fellow nominee Lionel Messi as 2023 Laureus Sportsman of the Year for his FIFA World Cup triumph

Rafael Nadal is determined to direct the spotlight towards Lionel Messi in the aftermath of the Argentine's extraordinary World Cup triumph.

On Monday (February 20), both Nadal and Messi were announced as nominees for the coveted Laureus Sportsman of the Year award for 2023. The duo were chosen alongside four other sportsmen with incredible achievements in 2022 – French footballer Kylian Mbappe, Dutch Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen, Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis and American basketball player Stephen Curry.

Nadal, however, is of the view that Messi’s unforgettable World Cup triumph for Argentina is greater than his own performance in 2022, which saw him clinch two Grand Slams in addition to two other titles.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion took to social media on Monday to make his opinion public.

“An honor to be nominated again to the Laureus Sportsman of the Year … but … this year … vamos @leomessi te lo mereces tu [Come on Lionel Messi you deserve it],” Nadal said on his Instagram story.

Rafael Nadal on Instagram

Nadal, an avid football fan, is also a great supporter of the Argentinian team apart from his own country’s team (Spain) and club Real Madrid. The 36-year-old had voiced his confidence in Messi and Argentina during the World Cup, despite their initial shock loss to Saudi Arabia.

“He is a top player in history and he played almost his entire career in my country,” the athlete had said. "I still think that Argentina is a candidate to win the World Cup.”

The tennis legend also revealed his emotions after seeing one of football’s greatest athletes lift the World Cup after years of longing.

“Messi lifting the World Cup made me happy. That someone so great culminates with a title that was missing, of this caliber, with all that it means for Argentina," he said.

"It seemed fair to me, I enjoyed it and I was moved. Without going with Argentina, when Messi scored the third goal, tears came to my eyes because of the emotion of seeing someone so great achieve what was missing and that he had suffered so much to achieve it,” he added.

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Rafael Nadal and Lionel Messi have been nominated multiple times for Laureus Sportsman of the Year award

The Spaniard holds the second Laureus Sportsman of the Year trophy

This is Rafael Nadal’s ninth nomination at the Laureus Sports Awards, while for Lionel Messi it is the eighth. Messi jointly won the award alongside Lewis Hamilton in 2020, and Rafael Nadal earned the accolade twice - in 2011 and 2021.

Additionally, the duo were also nominated for the Breakthrough of the Year in 2006, where the Spaniard clinched the trophy. Nadal also received the award in the Comeback of the Year category in 2014.