Marc Marquez, the reigning MotoGP champion, has been nominated for the 2026 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award. This marks his sixth nomination for the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards, and he expressed the same excitement as when he received his first nomination 12 years ago. The Spanish star joins a shortlist featuring tennis sensation Carlos Alcaraz, football prodigy Ousmane Dembele, athletics icon Mondo Duplantis, cycling champion Tadej Pogacar, and tennis ace Jannik Sinner. Marquez's previous accolades include the Laureus Breakthrough of the Year award in 2013 and nominations for World Sportsman in 2015 and 2020, as well as Comeback of the Year in 2022 and 2025. The Spaniard's journey to the top has been a challenging one, marked by grueling injuries and uncompetitive machinery. However, he broke a record-breaking five-year drought between MotoGP titles in his debut season with the factory Ducati team. Marquez's dedication and perseverance have earned him a place among the shortlist of incredible athletes from various sports. The only motorsport winners of the World Sportsman award to date have been Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, and Lewis Hamilton. Last year's winner was Mondo Duplantis, the pole vault athlete. The 2026 winner will be announced at a ceremony in Madrid, Marquez's current home city, on April 20th.
