Liverpool nominated for Team of the Year again at 22nd annual Laureus World Sports Awards

Liverpool nominated for Team of the Year again at Laureus World Sports Awards following Premier League triumph as Lewis Hamilton battles it out with Robert Lewandowski and LeBron James for Sportsman gong ahead of virtual ceremony in May

  • Liverpool are nominated for Laureus’ best team award for a second year in a row
  • It comes after Jurgen Klopp’s men dominated the Premier League last season
  • Bayern Munich, the LA Lakers and F1 team Mercedes are also in the running
  • Lewis Hamilton is looking to retain his crown as World Sportsman of the Year
  • He faces competition from Robert Lewandowski, LeBron James and Rafael Nadal

Liverpool have once again been nominated for the Team of the Year gong at this year’s prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards after they finally won the first ever Premier League title last season.

Jurgen Klopp‘s men, who narrowly missed out on the award last summer to South Africa‘s rugby team, dominated English football in emphatic fashion to seal their first title in England’s top flight in 30 years.

The Reds will be strong contenders for the award this time round but face strong competition at Laureus’ 22nd annual awards, which will take place virtually in May.

Liverpool have been nominated for the Team of the Year gong at Laureus World Sports Awards

It comes after Jurgen Klopp's men won their first ever Premier League title in dominant fashion

It comes after Jurgen Klopp’s men won their first ever Premier League title in dominant fashion

Also up for the Team of the Year award are treble winners and Champions League holders Bayern Munich while Formula One’s Mercedes are in the running after securing the constructors’ titles for a record seventh straight season.

NBA team the Los Angeles Lakers have also been nominated following their championship heroics in Orlando while the Argentina men’s rugby team were given the nod after they secured their first-ever win over the All Blacks.

Along with Mercedes’ and Bayern’s nominated in the Team of the Year category, Lewis Hamilton and Robert Lewandowski have also been put forward for this year’s Sportsman of the Year award.

Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski is up for the World Sportsman of the Year gong

Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski is up for the World Sportsman of the Year gong

Lewis Hamilton won a record-equalling seventh F1 world championship

LeBron James guided the LA Lakers to NBA gold last season

Lewis Hamilton (left), who won it last year, and LeBron James (right) are also in the running

They will face competition from the likes of LA Lakers superstar LeBron James and Rafael Nadal, who won his 13th French Open which saw him equal Roger Federer’s total of 20 career Grand Slams. 

Hamilton, who was crowned as F1 world champion for a seventh time and scooped the best sportsman award last year, said: ‘It’s an honour to have been nominated for Sportsman of the Year alongside some truly incredible athletes. When I look back at the award ceremony last year, it’s hard to believe just how much has changed. 

‘2020 was a difficult year for so many people, for many different reasons and of course the world of sport was hugely affected. I was fortunate enough to be able to race and I’m so proud of what we, as a team, were able to achieve together. 

‘I’m even prouder of the journey we began towards making the motorsport industry more diverse and inclusive. 

The woman's category is led by Naomi Osaka, who won her second US Open in 2020

The woman’s category is led by Naomi Osaka, who won her second US Open in 2020

‘Nelson Mandela was the inspiration behind Laureus and I’m sure he would support everything we can do, to use sport to achieve a greater good.’ 

The woman’s category is led by tennis star Naomi Osaka, who won her second US Open in 2020 – her third career Grand Slam at the age of 22.

United States basketball player Breanna Stewart also joins Osaka on the list of nominations along with skiier Federica Brignone who became the first Italian woman to win Overall World Cup.