One footballer in the top 10. L'Equipe names the best athlete of 2023

The well-known French publication L'Équipe has released its own version of the top 10 athletes of the departing year 2023.

The title of the best athlete of the year went to 36-year-old Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic, who won three Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, US Open, and Roland Garros.

Only one footballer made it into the top 10 – Manchester City's top scorer Erling Haaland. The complete list of the top 10 looks as follows:

1. Novak Djokovic (tennis)
2. Léon Marchand (swimming)
3. Max Verstappen (Formula 1)
4. Noah Lyles (athletics)
5. Siya Kolisi (rugby)
6. Marco Odermatt (alpine skiing)
7. Johannes Boe (biathlon)
8. Tadej Pogacar (cycling)
9. Mathieu van der Poel (cycling)
10. Erling Haaland (football)

In 2022, Lionel Messi was named the athlete of the year by L'Équipe, with Kylian Mbappe taking the second spot.