England midfielder Jude Bellingham, 20, has been honoured for his remarkable maiden season with Real Madrid with the Breakthrough of the Year award at the Laureus World Sport Awards.
Bellingham becomes the first ever footballer to win such an award after beating off competition from the likes of Josh Kerr and tennis prodigy Coco Gauff.
He was one of the major winners recognised during the 25th edition of the awards, which took place in Madrid on Monday night.
Bellingham has almost instantly become one of Los Blancos’ most influential players and underlined his importance by settling Sunday night’s enthralling El Clasico clash against Barcelona with a dramatic last-gasp winner.
Novak Djokovic was crowned Laureus World Sportsman of the Year for a record-equalling fifth time to recognise a phenomenal 12-month period across the tennis tour. He won three of the four Grand Slams, failing to win only Wimbledon following an epic final with Carlos Alcaraz. He joins Lionel Messi on five awards.
Manchester City were beaten in the World Team of the Year category, which was won by the Spanish Women’s Football Team. It was a double triumph for Aitana Bonmati, who was presented with the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award for her role in Spain’s World Cup-winning team and in the Barcelona team which won the Champions League.
