FC Barcelona awarded Laureus World Team of the Year
Barça wins “the Oscars of sports”. FC Barcelona beat out the Dallas Mavericks, the Red Bull Formula 1 team, the All Blacks, the English national cricket side and the Japanese women’s national football side to win the Laureus World Team of the Year award. Messi and Abidal were also nominated. This award, which gives FC Barcelona worldwide recognition, will be added to FC Barcelona’s athletic and social achievements.
London (FCB).- The Laureus World Team of the Year goes to ... FC Barcelona. The team lead by Josep Guardiola was named the Laureus World Team of the Year on Monday night for in London after the Catalan Club's near impeccable 2011 run where they claimed the Spanish League, Champions League, Spanish and European Super Cups and Club World Cup. The Laureus World Sports Academy picked Barça ahead of the NBA champions, the Dallas Mavericks; the Formula 1 team Red Bull; the New Zealand’s All Blacks, world champions; the English national cricket side, reining The Ashes champions; and the Japanese Women’s football team, also world champions.
FC Barcelona President Sandro Rosell and the club’s Vice-President Carles Viarrubí attended the gala, which was held at the Westminster Central Hall in London. The Laureus awards are considered to be the ‘Oscars of sports.’
Messi and Abidal, nominated
This wasn’t the only prize that Barça was vying for the Laureus night. Messi was one of the six nominees for the World Sportsman of theYear and Éric Abidal was in the running for the Laureus World Comeback of the Year.
List of Laureus champions
2011
Spain's national football side
2010
Brawn GP (Formula 1)
2009
Chinese Olympic team
2008
South Africa's national rugby team
2007
Italy's national football team
2006
Renault (Formula 1)
2005
Greek's national football side
2004
England's national rugby side
2003
Brazil's national football side
2002
Australia's national cricket side
2001
France's national football side