New Delhi, Jan 1: As the world welcomed the New Year 2026 amid fireworks, celebrations, and renewed hope, leading figures from the global sports fraternity joined in to mark the occasion, sharing messages of love, gratitude, and motivation at the start of the year.

Sports icons around the world gave their fans a surprise with New Year celebration photos, where followers got a glimpse of their personal lives.

ICC chairman Jay Shah shared a cricket-themed message, wishing everyone a "boundary-filled year" and hoping that dreams score big in 2026.

FIFA also posted a video marking the New Year. The football federation wrote, "The year of the FIFA World Cup 2026."

Indian cricket star Virat Kohli, with a heartfelt post, shared a picture with his wife, Anushka Sharma. Kohli wrote, "Stepping into 2026 with the light of my life." Former Indian captain MS Dhoni celebrated with his family. His wife, Sakshi, posted a picture of the celebration and wrote, "Happy New Year to all."

Team India's head coach also joined in the celebrations. Gautam Gambhir entered 2026 with his family in London. He wrote, "Entering 2026 hand in hand with my favourites! Happy New Year to all."

IOC President Kirsty Coventry also extended her warm wishes with a video highlighting the major events to take place in 2026. She wished everyone a joyful and successful year ahead of the Olympics.

Football icon Cristiano Ronaldo posted a picture of the Al-Nassr team and wrote that "we are on the right path and we know what we need to do in 2026."

Chess grandmaster Anish Giri also wished everyone a Happy New Year. He described the moment of midnight as a time for gratitude and hope, gratitude for everything the past year offered and hope for what the future may bring.

Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh shared an inspiring message, urging people to never stop believing in themselves. He spoke about pushing to become the best version of oneself and staying strong during tough times, while also expressing gratitude for the people and experiences in his life.

--IANS