The BBC World Sport Star of the Year 2025 nominees are chosen for their global impact and excellence outside the UK, as well as for having had a successful season in their sport.
Mariona Caldentey- Football
Caldentey won the women’s Champions League with Arsenal and helped Spain reach the EUROS final. Helped her country reach the Nations League final and win back-to-back titles after beating Germany.
She won her third consecutive title, including previous wins at Barcelona.
PFA Women’s Player of the Year 2025 voted by her peers as the best player in the English WSL.
WSL player of the season and team of the year among top league performers with 19 goals and nine assists in all competitions.
Dominated the European club scene and excelled in international competition, recognised by top individual awards.
Mo Salah-footballer
Salah had a fantastic 2025 in helping Liverpool win their 20th Premier League title. Key figure in Liverpool's title win with 28 goals and 18 assists, a record level 46 goal contributions.
He won the PFA Player of the Year, voted best by fellow professionals, a rare third time.
The striker won the Golden Boot and Playmaker awards, leading scoring and assist maker, and reached 250+ career goals for Liverpool, becoming one of the club’s top all-time scorers.
A generational season statistically and award-wise, leading one of Europe’s most significant clubs.
Terence Crawford- boxing
Became the first three-weight undisputed champion in the four-belt era by defeating Canelo Alvarez at super-middleweight.
Historic achievement at the highest level of professional boxing.
Armand Duplantis- Athletics
Pole Vault World Records: Broke the world record four times in 2025 (highest 6.30m at World Championships). Undefeated Season: Won 16 competitions across indoor/outdoor seasons and secured a fifth straight Diamond League title.
He redefined excellence in his sport with historic consistency and record-setting performances.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone - Athletics
World Champion & record-level performer: Won 400m World title in a 47.78 run — second-fastest ever — and remained undefeated across 400m & 400m hurdles.
Relay Success: Anchored USA to 4x400m relay gold at World Championships.
Dominance across events and historic times made her one of the year’s standout track athletes.
Shohei Ohtani- baseball
AP Male Athlete of the Year: Won for a record-tying fourth time after an MVP season and World Series success with the Dodgers. Two-Way Excellence: Hit 55 home runs, drove 102 RBIs, and excelled as a pitcher with standout playoff performances.
Truly transcendent two-way performance that captivated a global audience.
Add comment
Comments