A spectacular evening in Madrid, during the Laureus awards ceremony, was marked by the meeting of two sports icons who have defined the modern era of football and tennis. While Novak Đoković shone in the role of host, he had the honor of presenting the “Sporting Inspiration” award to the legendary Toni Kroos.
Đoković announced the German with chosen words, emphasizing that true greatness is not measured only by titles, but by influence on society.
“I have observed the man we are honoring tonight as teams were built around him. But, off the field, he is an inspiration through his foundation that helps sick children and his academy that teaches youth respect. That is what separates icons from the rest,” Đoković said.
Kroos had no dilemma when it came to the debate over the greatest tennis player of all time.
“I admire Đoković so much. He is an athlete who has achieved incredible things, he has surpassed Roger and Rafa in the number of titles and continues to compete. He is the greatest ever. He still has that hunger, that desire. It is truly special to receive the award specifically from his hands. The way he takes care of his body is spectacular – he is 38 years old, and he moves on the court as if he were 25!”.
Toni Kroos on Novak Djokovic:
— Danny (@DjokovicFan_) April 20, 2026
“I admire this man so much. He has surpassed Nadal and Federer as the greatest ever and he still has the motivation to play. He’s 38 and moves like he’s much younger. He’s spectacular.” ❤️pic.twitter.com/ds3DKffH8e
During his speech, Kroos also joked at the expense of Đoković’s record five Laureus statues, alluding to the idea that Novak decided to become a host only because he ran out of room in his display cases:
“He probably got bored of constantly winning, so he said – okay, now I’ll be the host.”
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Source: Sportal, Photo: Printscreen X