WATCH: Carlos Alcaraz fanboying over meeting Lionel Messi at Laureus World Sports Awards
It’s hard not to be in awe of Lionel Messi. Even for Carlos Alcaraz. The 20-year-old, who’s taken over the tennis world surprise, couldn’t stop blushing when he shared carpet with Argentina’s World Cup winning captain at the Laureus World Sports Awards.
“It’s crazy, I’ve never met him before. It’s crazy to see him here…like a meter stroke from me is crazy,” Alcaraz told a reporter at the event. When given the push from the latter to shake hands with Messi, Alcaraz responded, “I wish to do that.”
The Spaniard would get his opportunity only moments later as the the 35-year-old football star approached him and had a short exchange. Here’s the brilliant moment captured on camera.
When Carlos met Leo 🤩 Can’t get enough of this moment!@LaureusSport | #Laureus23 | #OnlyAtLaureus | @carlosalcaraz pic.twitter.com/XLyutV0gmw
— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 9, 2023
On Tuesday, Messi would go on to win the world Sportsman of the Year and receive another one on behalf of his Argentina teammate, who won the team of the year award in the ceremony that took place in Paris.
It was Messi’s second individual title after sharing that honor with Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton in 2020. The PSG forward remains the only football player to win the honor.
Meanwhile, Alcaraz’s victory at the 2022 U.S. Open and his rise to the No. 1 ranking saw him take the Breakthrough of the Year award. Alcaraz, who celebrated his 20th birthday last week, won Sunday’s final of the Madrid Open.
