Ajax Women’s main sponsor ABN AMRO teams with singer Roxeanne Hazes in ode to Sherida Spitse

The video clip starring Spitse visualises the journey she has made to become a stop sportswoman and the drive it took to get where she is now. With more than 150.000 views, more than 45.000 streams on Spotify and countless positive reactions on social media, we see this launch as a success.

The importance of role models

There are more women than ever in elite sports (Mulier Instituut, 2023). In terms of representation, however, there’s still a lot of room for improvement. Earlier research by WOMEN Inc. revealed that 91% of all premier league football matches broadcast on television are played by men. There’s a structural problem with the visibility of top-level sportswomen, while exemplars, role models and visibility are incredibly important as an inspiration for other girls who want to pursue their dream of becoming top athletes.

Spitse adds: "If you look at the world of football and women’s opportunities then and now, the differences are huge. As a child, I could train alongside the boys, but I wasn’t allowed to play matches. A lot has also changed over the years in terms of investment in women’s football, decent pay, fair terms of employment and of course airtime. My club scores well on these points but not all girls are so fortunate, and that frustrates me." She’s hopeful, though, that things will change for younger generations. "It inspires me to fight for what we’re worth and to keep speaking out on these issues. I owe it to myself and to all the girls who dream of becoming a football star."

Removing barriers

The song was written in collaboration with ABN AMRO. For many years, ABN AMRO has been supporting women in sports, art and business. The bank’s commitment to removing barriers and raising the profile of role models is clearly having an effect – Ajax Women are playing more matches in Amsterdam’s Johan Cruijff ArenA, female artists are gaining visibility and female entrepreneurs are getting more support.

Chantal Korteweg (Director of Social Impact & Inclusive Banking) says of the campaign: "Sherida Spitse shows us all what you can achieve if you have a dream and the drive to make it come true. ABN AMRO believes in supporting the drive of women, not only by partnering with Ajax Women but also by removing the barriers women experience. Drawing on our expertise, we encourage female entrepreneurship and help women achieve financial independence. By giving a platform to role models, we forge connections and inspire women, particularly young and culturally diverse women, to discover their drive, with the ultimate goal of helping more and more women to do what Sherida has done – use their drive to achieve their dream."

Because you see me

Roxeanne Hazes wrote her song Omdat je me ziet (Because you see me) based on her own experience of how vital it is to never quit pursuing your own goals. "For years, I was seen as just the daughter of famous singer André Hazes, one of the ‘Hazes kids’. One day I made a conscious choice to start telling my own story. That was scary, but I’m my own person and I want people to hear that. So Sherida’s story is an inspiration to me. She really stands up for what she wants, and that’s what my song is about. It was fantastic to see her reaction the first time she heard the song, that’s what makes it all worthwhile!"

Omdat je me ziet is widely available on streaming platforms and social media as from today