Laureus World Sports Award for Team of the Year
The Laureus World Sports Award for Team of the Year is an award honouring the achievements of those teams who have demonstrated "supreme performance" in the world of sports. It was first awarded in 2000 as one of the seven constituent awards presented during the Laureus World Sports Awards. The awards are presented by the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, a global organisation involved in more than 150 charity projects supporting 500,000 young people. The first ceremony was held on 25 May 2000 in Monte Carlo, at which Nelson Mandela gave the keynote speech., a shortlist of six nominees for the award comes from a panel composed of the "world's leading sports editors, writers and broadcasters". The Laureus World Sports Academy then selects the winner who is presented with a Laureus statuette, created by Cartier, at an annual awards ceremony held in various locations around the world. The awards are considered highly prestigious and are frequently referred to as the sporting equivalent of "Oscars".
The inaugural winner of the award was English football team Manchester United, who had completed an "historic treble" by winning the UEFA Champions League, the Premier League and the FA Cup during the 1998–99 season. Football teams, including both domestic and international sides, have won more awards than any other sport with ten, followed by rugby union and Formula One teams. Teams from Germany and France have won the award three times, while teams from England, Spain, and South Africa have won it twice. The 2020 winner of the Laureus World Sports Award for Team of the Year was the South Africa national rugby union team.
List of winners and nominees
| Year | Winner | Nationality | Sport | Achievement | Nominees | Refs |
| 2000 | Manchester United | Football | Won the treble | Australia Rugby Union Team – rugby union United States Women's Football Team – football | ||
| 2001 | France Men's Football Team | Football | Won UEFA Euro 2000 | Australia Men's Cricket Team – cricket Cameroon Olympic Football Team – football New York Yankees – baseball Real Madrid – football | ||
| 2002 | Australia Men's Cricket Team | Cricket | Extended their winning streak to 16 Test victories | Bayern Munich – football French Davis Cup Team – tennis Scuderia Ferrari – Formula One Los Angeles Lakers – basketball | ||
| 2003 | Brazil Men's Football Team | Football | Won the 2002 FIFA World Cup | Canada Men's Ice Hockey Team – ice hockey European Ryder Cup Team – golf Scuderia Ferrari – Formula One Real Madrid – football | ||
| 2004 | England Rugby Union Team | Rugby union | Won the 2003 Rugby World Cup | AC Milan – football Alinghi America's Cup Team – yachting Australia Men's Cricket Team – cricket Scuderia Ferrari – Formula One Germany Women's Football Team – football | ||
| 2005 | Greece Men's Football Team | Football | Won UEFA Euro 2004 | Argentina Men's Olympic Basketball Team – basketball Boston Red Sox – baseball European Ryder Cup Team – golf FC Porto – football Scuderia Ferrari – Formula One | ||
| 2006 | Renault Formula One Team | Formula One | Won the 2005 FIA Formula One World Constructor's Championship | FC Barcelona – football Croatia Davis Cup Team – tennis Liverpool F.C. – football New Zealand National Rugby Team – rugby union San Antonio Spurs – basketball | ||
| 2007 | Italy Men's Football Team | Football | Won the 2006 FIFA World Cup | New Zealand National Rugby Team – rugby union FC Barcelona – football European Ryder Cup Team – golf Renault Formula One Team – Formula One Spain men's basketball team – basketball | ||
| 2008 | South African Rugby Union Team | Rugby union | Won the 2007 Rugby World Cup | Australia Men's Cricket Team – cricket Scuderia Ferrari – Formula One Germany Women's Football Team – football Iraq Football Team – football AC Milan – football | ||
| 2009 | Chinese Olympic Team | Olympics | Topped the medal table at the 2008 Summer Olympics with 51 gold medals | Boston Celtics – basketball Great Britain Olympic Cycling Team – cycling Jamaica Olympic Sprint Team – athletics Manchester United – football Spain National Football Team – football | ||
| 2010 | Brawn Formula One Team | Formula One | Won the 2009 FIA Formula One World Constructors' Championship | FC Barcelona – football New York Yankees – baseball Germany Women's Football Team – football Los Angeles Lakers – basketball South African Rugby Union Team – rugby union | ||
| 2011 | Spain National Football Team | Football | Won the 2010 FIFA World Cup | FC Inter – football All Blacks – rugby union European Ryder Cup Team – golf Los Angeles Lakers – basketball Red Bull Formula One Team – Formula One | ||
| 2012 | FC Barcelona | Football | Won third consecutive La Liga title, the UEFA Champions League, Spanish and UEFA Supercups, and the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup | All Blacks – rugby union England Cricket Team – cricket Japan Women's Football Team – football Dallas Mavericks – basketball Red Bull Formula One Team – Formula One | ||
| 2013 | European Ryder Cup Team | Golf | Won the 2012 Ryder Cup | China Olympic Table Tennis Team – table tennis Miami Heat – basketball Red Bull Formula One Team – Formula One Spain National Football Team – football United States Men's Basketball Team – basketball | ||
| 2014 | Bayern Munich | Football | Won the treble | All Blacks – rugby union Brazil Men's Football Team – football Bob and Mike Bryan – tennis Miami Heat – basketball Red Bull Formula One Team – Formula One | ||
| 2015 | Germany Men's Football Team | Football | Won the 2014 FIFA World Cup | European Ryder Cup Team – golf Real Madrid – football Switzerland Davis Cup Team – tennis San Antonio Spurs – basketball Mercedes AMG Petronas – Formula One | ||
| 2016 | New Zealand National Rugby Union Team | Rugby union | Won the 2015 Rugby World Cup | FC Barcelona – football Golden State Warriors – basketball Great Britain Davis Cup Team – tennis Mercedes AMG Petronas – Formula One United States Women's Football Team – football | ||
| 2017 | Chicago Cubs | Baseball | Won the 2016 World Series | Cleveland Cavaliers – basketball Mercedes AMG Petronas – Formula One Portugal Men's Football Team – football) Brazil Men's Olympic Football Team – football Real Madrid – football | ||
| 2018 | Mercedes Formula One Team | Formula One | Won the Drivers and Constructors 2017 FIA Formula One World Championship | France Davis Cup Team – Tennis Golden State Warriors – basketball New Zealand America's Cup Sailing Team – yachting New England Patriots – American football Real Madrid – Football | ||
| 2019 | France national football team | Football | Won the 2018 FIFA World Cup | Mercedes Formula One Team – Formula One Real Madrid – football Norway Winter Olympic Team – Winter Olympics Golden State Warriors – basketball European Ryder Cup Team – golf | ||
| 2020 | South African Rugby Union Team | Rugby union | Won 2019 Rugby World Cup and 2019 Rugby Championship | Liverpool F.C. – football Mercedes Formula One Team – Formula One Spain men's basketball team – basketball Toronto Raptors – basketball United States Women's Football Team – football |