World tennis number one Rafael Nadal, cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar and Formula One world champion driver Sebastian Vettel are all main contenders.

Meanwhile, the world's best footballers, such as Diego Forlan, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi, will each be hoping to become the first ever team player to win the individual Laureus Award.

Organisers of the 2011 awards - which recognise sporting achievement during 2010 - will announce the final six nominees as voted by the Laureus Media Selection Panel, in early January.

The eventual winner will be chosen by the Laureus World Sports Academy and will be named during a televised ceremony in Abu Dhabi on February 7.

German tennis legend and Laureus World Sports Academy member Boris Becker said: "This promises to be a fascinating year.

"I can't wait to see who the media selection panel will vote for, but I would be amazed if Rafael Nadal and Sebastian Vettel were not at the top the list.

"It was another big year for tennis.

"The prime example is Nadal.

"He has had his best year ever, winning three Grand Slams.

"That's an achievement in my sport that is very rare, so obviously he is a front-runner in my opinion, but obviously the voting has not been done yet.

"He is certainly the number one player for this year - he has won now overall nine Grand Slams.

"Formula One is a very popular sport all around the world.

"We have had great Laureus Award winners in the past, whether it was Michael Schumacher or Lewis Hamilton or Jenson Button.

"I'm sure the performance of Sebastian Vettel will not go unnoticed within the Laureus Academy.

"I'm sure Sebastian is another front-runner in my mind for a Laureus Award - for which category we will have to see, but winning the Formula One World Championship at such an early age deserves great recognition."


American basketball star Kobe Bryant and the world's top boxer Manny Pacquiao are also expected to be contenders while Irish golfer Graeme McDowell - who became the first UK golfer to win the US Open since Tony Jacklin 40 years earlier - is an outside bet to succeed last year's winner, Usain Bolt of Jamaica.

The 2011 Laureus World Sports Awards is returning to Abu Dhabi thanks to the support of Aabar Investments PJS, who will once again be Host Partner for the event.

His Excellency Khadem Al Qubaisi, chairman of Aabar, said: "The Laureus World Sports Awards is a unique event.

"It was magnificent, a great success for Abu Dhabi when it was held here last March.

"We will certainly try to do something special when we bring the awards back next year."

Last year double Oscar-winning Hollywood star Kevin Spacey hosted a glittering Awards Ceremony attended by leading sportsmen and women from around the world.

Laureus Academy members also vote for the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability and the Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year, the nominations for which are made by specialist panels.

Among the winners of the 2010 Laureus World Sports Awards were Bolt, Serena Williams, Jenson Button, Kim Clijsters, Natalie du Toit and Stephanie Gilmore.

Proceeds from the Laureus World Sports Awards directly benefit and underpin the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation which supports almost 80 community sports projects around the world which have helped to improve the lives of more than one million young people.

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