Lionel Messi Earns Three 2023 ESPYs Nods, Including One for Best Athlete, Men’s Sports

Lionel Messi is one step closer to being heralded this year’s best athlete…

ESPN has revealed the nominees for its 2023 ESPYs, with the 36-year-old Argentine soccer star earning three nominations.

Lionel MessiMessi, who helped Argentina win the 2022 FIFA World Cup, scoring seven goals and providing three assists, is nominated for Best Athlete, Men’s Sports. It’s his first nod in the category.

He’s also up for Best Championship Performance for the 2022 World Cup final, as well as Best Soccer Player for performance with the Argentina national team and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

But Messi isn’t the only Latinx nominee…

Seattle Mariners’ star player Julio Rodriguez has earned a nod in the Best Breakthrough Athlete category; Amanda Nunes is up for Best UFC Fighter; Jon Rahm is nominated in the Best Golfer category; and Carlos Alcaraz is up for Best Tennis Player.

The hardware will be handed out July 12 in Los Angeles, with ABC airing the ceremony live at 5:00 pm PT/8:00 pm ET.

Here are all the nominees for the 2023 ESPYs:

BEST ATHLETE, MEN’S SPORTS
Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets
Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Lionel Messi, Argentina

BEST ATHLETE, WOMEN’S SPORTS
Mikaela Shiffrin, Ski
Sophia Smith, Portland Thorns
Iga Świątek, Tennis
A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE
Caitlin Clark, Iowa Women’s Basketball
Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Angel Reese, LSU Women’s Basketball
Julio Rodríguez, Seattle Mariners

BEST RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE
Novak Djokovic wins his 23rd Grand Slam title
LeBron James surpasses Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for NBA career scoring record
Mikaela Shiffrin breaks the record for the most World Cup victories
Max Verstappen, Red Bull, set record for most wins in a season

BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE
Leon Edwards, UFC – defeats Kamaru Usman to win UFC welterweight title
Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets – 2023 NBA Finals MVP
Lionel Messi, Argentina – 2022 World Cup Final
Rose Zhang, LPGA – first woman in 72 years to win her first professional start.

BEST COMEBACK ATHLETE
Jon Jones, UFC
Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut
Justin Verlander

BEST PLAY
Michael Block’s hole in one – Golf
Justin Jefferson with the Catch of the Century, NFL
Ally Lemos with the perfect corner to tie the National Championship game, NCAA
Trinity Thomas’ Perfect 10 to tie NCAA Record, NCAA

BEST TEAM
Denver Nuggets, NBA
Georgia Bulldogs, NCAA Football
Kansas City Chiefs, NFL
Las Vegas Aces, WNBA
Louisiana State Tigers, NCAA Women’s Basketball
Oklahoma Sooners, NCAA Softball
Vegas Golden Knights, NHL

BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE, MEN’S SPORTS
Zach Edey, Purdue Basketball
Duncan McGuire, Creighton Soccer
Brennan O’Neill, Duke Lacrosse
Caleb Williams, USC Football

BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE, WOMEN’S SPORTS
Jordy Bahl, Oklahoma Softball
Caitlin Clark, Iowa Women’s Basketball
Izzy Scane, Northwestern Lacrosse
Trinity Thomas, Florida Gators Gymnastics

BEST ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY
Erica McKee, Sled Hockey Team
Zach Miller, Snowboarding
Aaron Pike, Wheelchair Racing & Cross-Country Skiing
Susannah Scaroni, Wheelchair Racing

BEST NFL PLAYER
Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers
Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

BEST MLB PLAYER
Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals
Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels
Justin Verlander, Houston Astros

BEST NHL PLAYER
Jonathan Marchessault, Vegas Golden Knights
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
David Pastrňák, Boston Bruins
Linus Ullmark, Boston Bruins

BEST NBA PLAYER
Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

BEST WNBA PLAYER
Skylar Diggins-Smith, Phoenix Mercury
Candace Parker, Chicago Sky (Current Las Vegas Aces)
Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm (Current New York Liberty)
A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

BEST DRIVER
Brittany Force, NHRA
Kyle Larson, NASCAR
Josef Newgarden, IndyCar
Max Verstappen, F1

BEST UFC FIGHTER
Leon Edwards
Jon Jones
Islam Makhachev
Amanda Nunes

BEST BOXER
Gervonta Davis
Devin Haney
Claressa Shields
Shakur Stevenson

BEST SOCCER PLAYER
Aitana Bonmatí, Spain/Barcelona
Erling Haaland, Norway/Manchester City
Lionel Messi, Argentina/PSG
Sophia Smith, USWNT/Portland Thorns

BEST GOLFER
Wyndham Clark
Nelly Korda
Jon Rahm
Scottie Scheffler

BEST TENNIS PLAYER
Carlos Alcaraz
Novak Djokovic
Aryna Sabalenka
Iga Świątek

Albert Pujols Named 2022 Recipient of Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award at ESPYS

Albert Pujols is celebrating a special honor…

The 42-year-old Dominican-American professional baseball first baseman and designated hitter for the St. Louis Cardinals has been named the 2022 recipient of the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award.

Albert PujolsPujols received the award as part of the ESPYS on Wednesday night in Los Angeles, another accolade for the retiring slugger.

The award is given to an athlete whose “continuous, demonstrated leadership has created a measured positive impact on their community through sports. The candidate must embrace the core principles that Muhammad Ali embodied so well, including confidence, conviction, dedication, giving and respect.”

Pujols certainly embodies all of those characteristics.

He’s president of the Pujols Family Foundation, which has had a twofold cause since its inception in 2005: helping the impoverished in his native Dominican Republic and aiding those living with Down syndrome in the United States. The slugger’s daughter, Isabella, has Down syndrome, a genetic disorder.

“As great as my career has been, my passion is what I do when the season is over and that is to serve and to give back. That is how I want to be remembered,” Pujols said.

Pujols called Ali an “incredible man” whose legacy “will never be forgotten.” He called it an honor to win an award in his name.

The award was formerly called the Sports Humanitarian of the Year Award, but was renamed in 2017, a year after Ali’s death, to honor the legacy of the boxing great’s impact on society.

Other finalists this year included Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns, NFL veteran Anthony Barr and Austin FC goalie Brad Stuver.

Nelson Cruz Reportedly Agrees to One-Year, $13 Million Contract with Minnesota Twins

Nelson Cruz is twinning again…

The 40-year-old professional baseball player, a designated hitter and right fielder, and the Minnesota Twins are reportedly in agreement on a one-year, $13 million contract, according to ESPN.

Nelson Cruz

Cruz has been a linchpin of the Bomba Squad Twins‘ lineup. And he’ll be back right in the middle of it in 2021.

The slugger, who hit .303 with 16 home runs, 33 RBIs and a career-high OPS+ (169) in the pandemic-shortened season, finished sixth in the American League MVP voting and was selected as the Marvin Miller Man of Year in the annual Players Choice Awards.

The award goes to the player whom his peers “most respect based on his leadership on the field and in the community.” Cruz donated a fire engine and an ambulance and helped build a police station in his hometown of Las Matas de Santa Cruz in the Dominican Republic, and his Boomstick 23 Foundation has contributed wheelchairs and crutches, and he set up a clinic to provide medical and dental care.

His mission to help his hometown and other towns in the Dominican Republic led to him receiving the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award at the 2020 ESPYS.

Cruz played last season on a $12 million deal after swatting a team-high 41 home runs while reaching 108 RBIs in 2019, despite two stints on the injured list for a wrist problem. He has reached the 40-homer mark four times in his career; Barry Bonds and Babe Ruth hold the all-time mark with five seasons. Cruz also was the 57th player in major league history to reach 400 career home runs.

His .992 OPS in 2020 ranked fourth in the AL and was the fifth-best mark in MLB history by a player in his age-39 season or older, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. And he led all major leaguers with a 1.182 OPS on pitches in the strike zone over the past two seasons.

From 2014 to 2018, no player in the majors hit more home runs than Cruz (203). In 16 major league seasons, Cruz, a six-time MLB All-Star who has three Silver Slugger Awards, has hit 417 home runs with 1,152 RBIs and a .278 batting average for the Twins, Seattle Mariners, Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers and Milwaukee Brewers.

Messi Named Best International Athlete at This Year’s ESPY Awards

Lionel Messi is the best of the best…

The 28-year-old Argentine soccer star picked up the Best International Athlete prize at this year’s ESPY Awards.

Lionel Messi

Messi, a forward for Spanish club FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team, beat Real Madrid‘s Cristiano Ronaldo, tennis player Novak Djokovic, golfer Lydia Ko and F1 driver Lewis Hamilton.

Messi became the all-time leading scorer in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. He helped Barcelona claim the 2014-15 Champions League title as the joint top scorer (10) and the assists leader (6).

It’s Messi’s second Best International Athlete win. He previously took home the award in 2012.

But the soccer star wasn’t the only Latino athlete honored at this year’s awards show…

Victor Espinoza took home the award for Best Jockey…

The 43-year-old Mexican jockey won the Triple Crown in 2015 on American Pharoah. Espinoza helped end the longest streak without a Triple Crown winner in the history of American horse racing, with 13 horses losing in the Belmont Stakes after winning the first two races in the series.

Here’s a look at this year’s ESPY Award winners:

Best Team: U.S. Women’s Soccer – FIFA
Best Male Athlete: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Best Play (bracket-style): Odell Beckham catch vs. 16. Albany goalie lacrosse goal
Best Comeback Athlete: Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots
Best Female Athlete: Ronda Rousey, MMA
Best Moment: Lauren Hill
Jimmy V Award for Perseverance: Devon and Leah Still
Pat Tillman Award for Service:
Danielle Green
Icon Award: Derek Jeter
Arthur Ashe Award for Courage: Caitlyn Jenner
Best Championship Performance:LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Best Male College Athlete: Marcus Mariota, Oregon Football
Best Breakthrough Athlete:Mo’ne Davis, Little League Baseball
Best NBA Player: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Best Record-Breaking Performance:Peyton Manning throws record-509th touchdown pass
Best Upset:Mississippi over Alabama, FBS
Best Fighter:Ronda Rousey, MMA
Best Jockey:Victor Espinoza
Best Game:Patriots vs. Seahawks, Super Bowl
Best Coach/Manager: Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
Best Comeback Athlete: Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots
Best International Athlete:
Lionel Messi, Barcelona/Argentina
Best NFL Player:Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Best MLB Player: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
Best NHL Player: Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks
Best Driver: Kevin Harvick, NASCAR
Best WNBA Player: Skylar Diggins, Tulsa
Best Male Golfer:Jordan Spieth
Best Female Golfer: Lydia Ko
Best Male Tennis Player: Novak Djokovic
Best Female Tennis Player: Serena Williams
Best Female College Athlete: Missy Franklin, Cal Swimming
Best Male Action Sports Athlete: Ryan Dungey, Motocross
Best Female Action Sports Athlete:Kelly Clark, Snowboarding
Best Male Athlete with a Disability:Krige Schabort, Triathlon
Best Female Athlete with a Disability:Becca Meyers, Swimming
Best Bowler: Jason Belmonte
Best MLS Player: Robbie Keane, Los Angeles Galaxy

Triple Crown Winner Cabrera Earns ESPY Award for Best MLB Player

He may have lost the ESPY for Best Male Athlete to the Miami Heat’s LeBron James. But Miguel Cabrera didn’t come empty-handed.

The  30-year-old Venezuelan baseball star, a third baseman for the Detroit Tigers, was named for Best MLB Player at the 21st ESPY Awards show on Wednesday night in Los Angeles.

Miguel Cabrera

Cabrera earned the award after becoming the first Triple Crown winner (.330 average, 44 home runs, 139 RBIs) since 1967 and winning the American League MVP title.

Meanwhile, Joel Rosario was named the year’s Best Jockey. The 28-year-old American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey won the award after riding the colt Orb to a win at the Kentucky Derby.

Rosario also won the world’s richest horse race, the $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai in March, aboard the US-based stallion Animal Kingdom.

ESPY Award is short for Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award.

Fan voting, conducted online, was based on performances spanning the past 12 months.

The awards show, which celebrates the year’s best athletes and moments in sports, was hosted by Mad Men star Jon Hamm.