Madrid [Spain], April 8 (ANI): Laureus football legends will be on hand later this month to welcome a celebrated collection of football stars to the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards - the Athletes' Awards.

Cafu played a record 142 times for Brazil, the only player to have appeared in three World Cup finals, winning in 1994 and 2002; Marcel Desailly was a member of the French team which won the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 European Championship; Luis Figo made history playing for both FC Barcelona AND Real Madrid; and Ruud Gullit won two European Cups with AC Milan and captained the Netherlands to victory at Euro 1988. He also won the Ballon d'Or in 1987.

According to a press release, all four will be present in Madrid on April 20 to honour the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of the generation, and to build up the excitement - with just 52 days to go from then - to the first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Other famous football names attending the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards are:

Roberto Carlos: The great Brazilian left-back who played 370 times for Real Madrid and 125 times for Brazil, including winning the 2002 World Cup.

Raphal Varane: Centre-back, played for Real Madrid 360 times and France 93 times and was in the winning 2018 World Cup team.

Iker Casillas: One of the greatest goalkeepers, he spent most of his career at Real Madrid. Played over 1,000 professional matches in his career, including 167 appearances for Spain.

Thiago Alcantara: Currently assistant manager for FC Barcelona, he played for FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Liverpool, and 46 times for Spain.

Leonardo Bonucci: Centre-back who made 121 appearances for Italy, including the 2010 and 2014 World Cups. He was in Italy's winning Euro 2020 team and scored in the final. He also won eight Serie A titles with Juventus.

Andrii Shevchenko: One of the greatest strikers of all time and Ukraine's greatest player. He scored 48 goals for the national team, played more than 200 times for AC Milan and won the Ballon d'Or in 2004.

Andre Villas-Boas: Portugal-born, he coached Porto, Chelsea, Tottenham, Zenit and Marseilles.

Oscar de Marcos: Played 573 games for Athletic Bilbao, a club record for an outfield player.

The 2026 Laureus Awards will recognise the outstanding sporting triumphs of 2025, as well as celebrating more than two decades of the Laureus movement which has used the power of sport to transform the lives of more than seven and a half million young people around the world.

The Award winners are decided by the votes of members of the Laureus Academy - the ultimate sporting jury - and announced at the gala event held at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid on the evening of April 20.

Further names of those attending, including Nominees for the Awards, Laureus Academy Members and Ambassadors and special guests will be announced in due course.

In addition to reporting on the Awards Ceremony, accredited media will have the opportunity to interview Laureus Academy Members and other sportsmen and sportswomen present in Madrid over 19th and 20th April. (ANI)