On the occasion of the International Women's Day Celebration, Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, meets with Spanish football players. Ivana Andrés and Alba Redondo from the Spanish women’s national football team address MEPs in a ceremony, followed by a round of political group speakers. Spain won the World Cup in 2023 for the first time, but the trophy presentation was marred by harassment. This news item shows extracts from the arrival of Ivana Andrés and Alba Redondo, welcome by President Metsola and extracts from their address and ceremony.

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

meeting

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

International Women's Day (T)

International Women's Day: Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Ivana ANDRÉS, captain and Alba REDONDO, player of the Spanish national football team of Spain and extracts from the celebration

External shot of the European Parliament in Strasbourg

Arrival of Ivana ANDR&Eacute;S, captain of the national football team of Spain, and Alba REDONDO, player in the national football team (3 shots)

Arrival of Ivana ANDR&Eacute;S, captain of the national football team of Spain, and Alba REDONDO, player in the national football team, in the chamber with a trophy, applause (7 shots)

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Bienvenidas, Ivana and Alba, we have seen you and your team-mates shattering stereotypes. We have seen you reaching your goals and scoring quite a lot of them too. Your victory is a reminder that gender cannot and will not hinder the road to success.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, I think of the women who, despite all their best efforts, are still struggling every day to reach their full potential. This is a systemic problem and one that the European Parliament is working hard day in, day out to uproot.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Alba REDONDO, player in the Spanish national football team, We're also here today not just representing our team, but all of the female players, all of our Team-mates and all of our friends, and all of these women whose passion is for sport and for football and who struggle on a daily basis to realise their dreams. And we're here today of the heart of Europe, in the European Parliament.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Ivana ANDR&Eacute;S, captain of the national football team of Spain, Sport which really educates us, which transforms us, which inspires us. And I think that we have to give young girls around the globe references, role models that will serve to inspire them, that will motivate them, that will help them overcome difficult moments, whether it's personal or professional.

SOUNDBITE (English), Věra JOUROV&Aacute;, Vice-President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency, There is nothing virtual about online violence. Violence is violence. And we have to take action against that. It is a real violence that impacts their lives, families and careers. And if we do not act now, even more women will be silent. They will simply disappear from the public public life. It would be a disaster for our society, but also for our democracy.

Cutaways of Spanish football players in the hemicycle (2 shots)

Ivana ANDR&Eacute;S and Alba REDONDO present a football jersey of the national football team of Spain to Roberta METSOLA, EP Presiden, and family photo (6 shots)