Sports stars and clubs celebrate International Women's Day

| 08 March 2019

Liverpool players and staff hailed the important women in their lives while England Cricket ran a competition for girls to join training sessions.

Sports stars and clubs celebrated International Women's Day on Friday.

The campaign theme for 2019 is Balance for Better with the focus on forging a more gender-balanced world and celebrating women's achievements.

Here, Press Association Sport looks at how the day was marked by various clubs and sports personalities.

Barcelona posted a video of their women's team on their official Twitter account which said: "Football is not for girls. Nor for boys. Football is for footballers".

#WeAreFootballersFootball is for footballers#WomensDay🔵🔴 pic.twitter.com/ygajASDKgb

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 8, 2019

Women's marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe said: "Happy International Women's Day everyone. Not just for the women though. Let's all focus on being the best, most courageous person we can be and treating everybody else with respect and thoughtfulness."

Happy International Women's Day everyone. Not just for the women though. Let's all focus on being the best, most courageous person we can be and treating everybody else with respect and thoughtfulness. #notjustforoneday #InternationalWomansDay

— Paula Radcliffe (@paulajradcliffe) March 8, 2019

England Cricket celebrated the day by launching a competition fronted by captain Heather Knight to give 11 girls from across the country the chance to join the team for a training session ahead of the Ashes this summer.

It's #IWD2019!To celebrate, an amazing opportunity... To join #HeathersPride & train with the team!Find out more 👉https://t.co/k7UJUR8cMa pic.twitter.com/FxejtIApWI

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) March 8, 2019

Liverpool players and staff sent personal messages to the special women in their lives:

Happy #InternationalWomensDay

To mark #IWD2019, our players and staff delivered personal messages about the special women in their lives... pic.twitter.com/z58O7FkdxX

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 8, 2019

Tottenham shared a picture of their women's team with the simple message: "Happy #InternationalWomensDay"

Happy #InternationalWomensDay #COYS ⚪️ #IWD2019 pic.twitter.com/Sf1hvKsUuO

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) March 8, 2019

Southampton also had the same message for their fans.

Happy #InternationalWomensDay, #SaintsFC fans! 😇 pic.twitter.com/XyRAaa1ILI

— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) March 8, 2019

Watford chose to share a day in the life of their player Helen Wardie.

Ever wondered what @helenwardie10 gets up to on a regular day?

Let's just say she's as much of a superstar off the pitch, as she is on it 😍#InternationalWomensDay #IWD2019 pic.twitter.com/xTJP8N7vUV

— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) March 8, 2019

UEFA said: "Women's football isn't the football of the future Women's football is the football of right now."

Women's football isn't the football of the future ❌

Women's football is the football of right now ✅ #InternationalWomensDay #EqualGame #WePlayStrong pic.twitter.com/gjlgCRTidy

— UEFA (@UEFA) March 8, 2019

Judy Murray started a Twitter chain for International Women's Day.

She said: "It's #InternationalWomansDay so let's get this pic circulating around the world. Pass it on to a woman you admire and ask her to do the same. Sending mine to @ChrissieEvert......."

It's #InternationalWomansDay so let's get this pic circulating around the world. Pass it on to a woman you admire and ask her to do the same. Sending mine to @ChrissieEvert....... pic.twitter.com/zEEWhMkpmz

— judy murray (@JudyMurray) March 8, 2019

The International Tennis Federation shared a video of women and girls playing tennis and wheelchair tennis, saying: "A sport for all..."

A sport for all...#InternationalWomensDay #AdvantageAll pic.twitter.com/QlAHqOinjo

— ITF (@ITF_Tennis) March 8, 2019

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