Kenyan athlete Vivian Cheruiyot, who won the 5,000 and 10,000 metres titles at the world championships last year, won sportswoman's award. Serbian tennis star Novac Djokovic was named overall sportsman of the year.
On the anniversary of the Munich Disaster, Sir Bobby Charlton won the Laureus Sport Lifetime Achievement award.
However The Manchester United legend was unable to attend Monday's awards dinner in London after falling ill on Sunday and undergoing minor surgery in Manchester and Sir Alex Ferguson accepted the award on his behalf.
Serbian tennis star Novac Djokovic was named overall sportsman of the year with Kenyan athlete Vivian Cheruiyot, who won the 5,000 and 10,000 metres titles at the world championships last year, taking the sportswoman's award.
Barcelona were named team of the year after winning La Liga and the Champions League.
Northern Ireland golfers Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy were among the award winners at the 2012 Laureus Sports Awards in London.
Clarke, 43, won the Comeback of the Year award for his memorable victory in the Open Championship at Sandwich.
McIlroy picked up the Breakthrough honour in recognition of his eight-shot win at the US Open.
"It was a great year to win my first major and to get into the top three in the world rankings," said McIlroy.
"I think 2012 is going to be a really exciting year.
"I'd love to back up my US Open win with another major this year, and hopefully try and get to number one."
Clarke, who is currently ranked 55 in the world, was delighted to collect another award.
"I was going to say earlier when I was up there (on stage) accepting it, I have been the oldest person to receive the award," he said.
"I believe it has been a long time coming and I have worked very hard and eventually got there.
"For me the Open Championship is the biggest and best tournament in the world and I feel very fortunate that I got there in the end."
THE WINNERS AND NOMINEES: (Winners names in bold type):
World Sportsman of the Year:
Usain Bolt, Novak Djokovic, Lionel Messi, Dirk Nowitzki, Sebastian Vettel, Cadel Evans
World Sportswoman of the Year:
Vivian Cheruiyot, Maria Höfl-Riesch, Carmelita Jeter, Petra Kvitova, Homare Sawa, Yani Tseng
World Sports Team of the Year
All Blacks, FC Barcelona, Dallas Mavericks, England Cricket Team, Japan Women's Football Team, Red Bull F1 team
World Breakthrough of the Year:
Yohan Blake, Petra Kvitova, Rory McIlroy, Li Na, Oscar Pistorius, Mo Farah
World Comeback of the Year:
Eric Abidal, Darren Clarke, Crusaders, Sergio Garcia, Liu Xiang, Queensland Reds
World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability:
Daniel Dias, Terezinha Guilhermina, Oscar Pistorius, Esther Vergeer, David Weir, Irek Zaripov
World Action Sportsperson of the Year:
Jamie Bestwick, Philip Köster, Carissa Moore, Travis Rice, Kelly Slater, Shaun White
