Barca? All Blacks? Who was your best sports team of 2011?

The Laureus World Sports Awards are now less than two weeks away.  You have already been telling us who you think should be the Sportsman and Sportswoman of the year, now its the turn of the year’s best teams to go head-to-head.

2011 was a remarkable year for team sports.  Everything from football and rugby world cups to exciting motor racing and basketball campaigns were held over the 12 month period that truly exemplified the best in team sports.

Below you will find all the top achievements from the Nominees for the Laurues World Team of the Year.

Let us know who you think should be recognised as the very best!

All Blacks (New Zealand) Rugby

All Blacks

• The national rugby team of New Zealand ended 24 years of disappointment when they beat France 8-7 in a tense final in Auckland to win the Rugby World Cup for the second time. Their victory helped to lift the spirits of a nation hit by successive tragedies in the Christchurch Earthquake and the Pike River mine disaster.

FC Barcelona (Spain) Football

FC Barcelona

• Not for the first time the Catalan football team ended the year as the one against which all others are compared. In addition to winning the Spanish League in the 2010/11 season, the highlight of another memorable year was the 3-1 victory against Manchester United in the Champions League final at London’s Wembley Stadium.

Dallas Mavericks (USA) Basketball

Dallas Mavericks

• The team won their first ever NBA title, under coach Rick Carlisle, beating favourites Miami Heat, a team featuring superstars LeBron James and Dwayne Wade. Dirk Nowitzki became the first European-born player to receive the Most Valuable Player Award in the NBA Finals, as the Mavericks beat Miami 4-2 in the best-of-seven series.

England Cricket Team

England Cricket Team

• Became No 1 in the world after a spectacular 4-0 series win against former top team India during the summer. Under captain Andrew Strauss and coach Andy Flower, England’s rise to the top has been relentless. Batsman Jonathan Trott was named Cricketer of the Year and Alastair Cook Test Cricketer of the Year at the annual International Cricket Council Awards.

Red Bull (Austria) Motor Racing

The Red Bull team

• Won the Formula One World Constructors Championship for the second straight year in 2011. They also won the individual drivers’ title through Sebastian Vettel. Their second driver Mark Webber finished third. Although the team is based in the United Kingdom, it is registered in Austria and is the first Austrian team to win the title.

Japan Women’s Football Team

Japan Women's Football Team

• The Japan team stunned defending champions Germany with a 1-0 victory in the quarter-finals and beat the United States in a penalty shootout in the final. Coach Norio Sasaki had motivated his team by showing them film of the areas devastated by March’s earthquake and subsequent tsunami which inspired them to produce extraordinary results.

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