The Sports Department of Xinhua News Agency selected the top ten international athletes in 2021 as follows:
Leo Messi (Argentina, male, 34, football)
At the 2021 Golden Globes, Messi won the award for the seventh time in record. Messi, 34, led Argentina to the Copa America this summer and won the Tournament of america himself as the best player and Golden Boot of the tournament. At club level, although Messi only won one Copa del Rey in Barcelona last season, his personal data is still very bright, winning the La Liga Golden Boot with 30 goals.
It's November 29, 2021, and Messi is holding the Ballon d'Or trophy at the 2021 Ballon d'Or Ceremony hosted by French Football magazine. Argentine star Lionel Messi beat a number of opponents in the judging to win the award for the seventh time in a record.
Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Henry Svalk)
Novak Djokovic (Serbian, male, 34, tennis)
Djokovic won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon men's singles titles this year, equaling the 20 Grand Slam singles title record held by Federer and Nadal in the Open era, and also setting a new record for the number of weeks in the men's tennis ranking world.
This is July 11, 2021, Dzokovic kissed the trophy at the 2021 Wimbledon Men's Singles Awards Ceremony in London, England, where he defeated Italy's Berrettini 3-1 in the final to achieve a triple Wimbledon title, as well as his 6th Wimbledon crown and 20th Grand Slam title.
Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Tim Ireland)
Max Verstappen (Netherlands, male, 24, racing)
In this season's Formula One World Championship (F1), the suspense of the Drivers of the Year Championship was preserved to the finale, and finally Red Bull driver Verstappen reversed on the last lap of Abu Dhabi to win the first F1 Drivers Championship of his career. It is worth noting that Verstappen is also the first drivers' championship from the Netherlands in F1 history.
It's 12 December 2021, when Red Bull Racing Dutch driver Verstappen celebrates his victory at the 2021 Formula One World Championship (F1) Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi. Red Bull Racing Dutch driver Verstappen won the race and was crowned his first annual champion.
Xinhua News Agency (Courtesy of Qian Jun Motorsport)
Robert Lewandowski (Poland, male, 33, football)
Lewandowski scored 41 goals for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga 2020-2021, surpassing the 40-goal record set by Gade Müller in 1971-1972, where he played a key role in Bayern's nine-time successful bundesliga title and won the European Golden Boot, as well as the 2021 Striker of the Year award from French Football magazine.
This is the testimonial of Polish goalscorer Lewandowski at the 2021 Ballon d'Or Awards ceremony hosted by French Football magazine on November 29, 2021.
Elaine Thompson (Jamaican, female, 29, sprint)
At the Tokyo Olympics, Thompson won gold medals in the women's 100m, 200m and 4×100m relays. At the Diamond League eugene leg on Aug. 22, Thompson ran a personal best of 10.54 seconds in the 100 meters, just 0.05 seconds away from the world record. Thompson was also named worldwide Athletics Federation Female Athlete of the Year this year.
It was celebrated on July 31, 2021, after Jamaica's Elaine Thompson won the women's 100m title in athletics at the Tokyo Olympics.
Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Jia Yuchen
Ma Long (Chinese, male, 33 years old, table tennis)
Ma Long won the men's table tennis championship at the Tokyo Olympic Games, becoming the first person to defend the men's singles title in the history of Olympic table tennis, and becoming the player with the most world championship titles in the history of table tennis.
It's July 30, 2021, when China's Ma Long celebrates scoring in the men's singles final of table tennis at the Tokyo Olympics. He eventually defeated teammate Fan Zhendong and won the championship.
Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Yuguo
Caleb Drexel (USA, male, 25, swimming)
Drexel won a total of five gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics, winning gold in individual events such as the 50m and 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly, as well as the 4x100m freestyle and 4x100m medley relays. As of August 2021, he holds nine FINA world records.
It's August 1, 2021, when American Drexel celebrates his victory after the men's 50m freestyle final at the Tokyo Olympics.
Xinhua News Agency reporter Xu Chang took the photo
Carsten Warholm (Norway, male, 25, hurdles)
Warholm won the Diamond League in Oslo in July with a time of 46.70 seconds, breaking the 29-year world record in the men's 400m hurdles. At the Tokyo Olympics, Warholm not only won the title with ease, but also broke the world record again with a staggering time of 45.94 seconds. Warholm, who broke two world records in a year, was named the World Athletics Federation's Male Athlete of the Year.
It's August 3, 2021, when Norway's Warholm celebrates his victory after the men's 400m hurdles at the Tokyo Olympic Athletics Competition.
Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Gang
Arcelor (Danish, male, 27, badminton)
At the Tokyo Olympics, Arcelong won the men's singles title in badminton, becoming the third European player to win the Olympic badminton gold medal after Larson and Malin. In December, Arcelor won the Men's Singles Title at the BWF Finals.
This is August 2, 2021, Denmark's Arcelorn celebrating his victory after the tokyo Olympics badminton men's singles final.
Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Xue Yubin
Lamont Jacob (Italian, male, 27, sprint)
In the men's 100m trapeze at the Tokyo Olympics, Italy's Jacob won the gold medal in 9.80 seconds and broke the European record for the event, the first European athlete to win the men's 100m in athletics since the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
It's August 1, 2021, when Italy's Jacob celebrates his victory after the men's 100m final of the Athletics Competition at the Tokyo Olympics.