Irene Paredes: “Motherhood should be seen as something beautiful, it needs to change.”

In September 2021, Irene Paredes (Legazpi, 1991), a FC Barcelona footballer and international with the Spanish national team, became a mother to son Mateo, conceived by her partner, Lucía Ybarra, also an athlete and former representative of the Spanish field hockey team. The footballer speaks to La Vanguardia from her native Euskadi, where she is resting these days before the start of the European Championship in Switzerland. Despite having wanted to be a surrogate mother, Paredes shares the challenges this entails for professional footballers: the physical impact or the fear of losing their place on the team. She does so coinciding with the premiere of the documentary Barça One has produced about her story and that of four players who are also surrogate mothers: Amel Majri (Olympique Lyonnais), Marta Corredera (former Barcelona and Real Madrid player), Almut Schult (German goalkeeper), and Alice Pignagnoli (goalkeeper for the Italian Palazzolo). They haven't had it easy.

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When Mateo was born, you had just signed for Barça and the team was playing in Seville ...

Everything came together in September 2021. The same midwife and gynecologist told us: it doesn't look like the birth will happen this weekend, so I traveled. Maybe in another situation, I wouldn't have seen that date so close. But I just arrived; it's time to earn the spot, and if they tell you it looks like the birth won't happen this weekend, well, we agreed, and I went. It's true that coach Jonatan Giráldez gave me complete freedom to choose. Luckily, Mateo waited for me. But it wasn't ideal for either the match or the birth.

Is there a feeling that pregnancy is like a chosen injury?

In my case, it's different because I didn't carry Mateo. But it's true that it's still seen in a way that seems like you're choosing to stop being available to the team for a while. And it seems to be hurting them. We have to turn it around. It should be a very beautiful time and months, filled with excitement and support. Pregnancy and also the postpartum period.

It seems like you're choosing to stop being available to the team and that's hurting them."

Are you considering becoming a surrogate mother before you finish your studies?

I don't know. It's something that's there. But it's not easy. Not only because of the support or how it's viewed, but because of the timing. In the end, our work is entirely physical, and it's clear that there's a lot of effort involved over many months. You have to consider all of that and the fact that you might not compete the same way again.

What was your physical activity like after Mateo was born?

In those first few months, I was somewhat afraid of getting injured. You arrive to training in the morning with very little sleep. And you're also adapting to the team, to the pace, to the training sessions... I told myself: "Just concentrate hard for two or three hours, especially so you don't get injured." Because if, on top of all that stress, I had gotten injured, imagine the situation back home.

And when is the day that says: Irene is Irene again?

We all need an adjustment period. And I needed it both at the club and at home. Babies eventually come without any instructions. And as the months go by, their sleep regulates itself. And you, too, adjust to the situation. If they're going to wake up three or four times a night, go to sleep earlier.

Is there talk of motherhood in the locker room?

When Mateo was born, Melanie Serrano was also there, having twins. Now I'm the only mother on the team, and the girls ask me how we manage. But it depends on their age; some young people don't understand it.

It's not easy being a surrogate mother. Not only because of the support or how it's viewed, but because of the timing. Irene Paredes

Does the case of Marta Corredera, a surrogate mother who did not have the support of Real Madrid, have any bearing?

I'm so sorry. Her long and successful career ended with her becoming pregnant without any support from the club. I also think she had some physical complications, and that's the reality for many women.

And then there's the case of Amel Majri, who did have the support of Olympique Lyonnais...

Lyon previously had the case of Sara Björk, who had to leave the team. She had to endure the hardships, but Amel, a pregnant mother of a daughter, later received all the support.

A new agreement has now been approved in Spain for women's soccer that includes work-life balance and maternity leave: an additional year on the contract, lactation rooms, and childcare assistance until the child turns 3.

It's very important to have a foundation so that anyone who wants to get pregnant can consider it.

How does Mateo experience football?

Mateo has been going to Johan Cruyff since he was 12 days old. It's normal for him, although we bring him toys. I always say: I'm lucky that Lucía understands me; she's also traveled a lot. We get along really well. But it depends on what kind of job your partner has; it's not easy.

Is Mateo going to the Euro Cup?

Yes, they'll be here for a few days. The Federation has a work-life balance plan, which is much appreciated. You always perform better when you have your family nearby.

Mateo has been going to the Johan Cruyff since he was 12 days old. I always say: I'm lucky that Lucía understands me; she's also traveled a lot. Irene Paredes

What is the plan?

It started with the World Cup. We have a pot of money to spend. Travel, hotels for family, and if we have young children, they can come and stay at our hotel.

Since the World Cup in Australia, the RFEF has implemented a conciliation plan for family travel. Irene Paredes

How are you approaching this Euro Cup?

I'm excited. Personally, I feel fine, and I think it's a blessing to be on a list. It's true that we've been playing almost nonstop for four summers, but we're at the right age for that; this has an end.

Is Spain the rival to beat?

I think England, the reigning European champions, should be the favorites. We're already focused on the group we're drawn into—Portugal, Belgium, and Italy—which is tough. We have to take small steps to go far.

A list without Jenni Hermoso…

It's a shame he's gone. It's true that he's been an important player in recent championships. There's little we as players can do.

And how are you approaching next year at Barça?

People are strengthening a lot, clubs are investing, especially at the international level. It will become increasingly difficult, but that also adds value to what we do every year. Of course, the defeat in Lisbon hurts. We weren't at our best on the day we were supposed to be, and that's very tough when you work so hard every day, paying so much attention to detail. But it's been a good year, we have a good squad, and next year we'll be competing again. I always say we have the best team in the world.

The documentary: Mother and Footballer Five mothers in the elite of football

Director: Marta Busquets Screenwriter: Cristina Collado Producer: Andrea Roig Video editor: Paula Rabanal Platform: Barça One Duration: 83 minutes

"You're a freeloader, don't even think about coming back to Valdebebas," people told Marta Corredera on social media when it became known she was pregnant while playing for Real Madrid. Furthermore, due to the pregnancy and the cesarean section, Marta suffered an abdominal strain that complicated her return to the field, forcing her to make the difficult decision to retire prematurely.

“They see me as a mother of three. Just when I was about to sign one, they backed out,” says Almuth Schult, the German goalkeeper who won the Champions League in 2014 with Wolfsburg and won gold at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, as well as winning the Euro 2013 title. She became the mother of twins and returned to competing at a high level. In fact, she became the first goalkeeper to return to the national team after a pregnancy. But with her third, she had no more time. On March 31, she announced her retirement at the age of 34. She is expecting her fourth child.

“My teammates stopped writing to me on the club's orders,” adds Alice Pignagnoli, an Italian goalkeeper who has become an essential voice in the fight for balance between motherhood and a career in women's football. Pignagnoli began playing for Reggiana and made her Serie A debut with AC Milan in 2008. She won the Scudetto, the Italian Super Cup, and played in the Champions League.

Cesena renewed her contract during her first pregnancy, and she returned to playing just 100 days after giving birth to her daughter, Eva. In 2022, after joining Lucchese Femminile, she was dropped from the team shortly after announcing her second pregnancy. She was offered no alternative, no support, and no guidance.

“It's been difficult to juggle it all,” admits Amel Majri, who was born in Tunisia and emigrated to France as a child with her mother and twin sister. She has forged a brilliant career as a midfielder for Olympique Lyonnais, where she has won Champions League titles and French championships. Since 2014, she has also been a key player for the French national team. In 2021, a serious knee injury sidelined her for months. But that time away from the pitch allowed her to realize another great dream: becoming a mother. In July 2022, her daughter Maryam was born. 15 months later, Amel was back competing. All of them tell their stories in the documentary "Mother and Footballer ," now available on the Barça One platform.