Pedro Sanchez has shown off his basketball skills in a playful video with New York mayor Zohran Mamdani.
The two progressive leaders were filmed throwing scrunched-up balls of paper into an office bin following their recent meeting in New York.
Mamdani shared the clip on social media on Saturday alongside the caption: ‘Being a leftist means taking big shots. And making them.’
Sanchez can be seen attempting several different shots, including a left-handed hook, while Mamdani raises the stakes by throwing with his eyes closed.
Through the magic of video editing, every attempt appears to land perfectly inside the bin.
The unusual contest took place after Sanchez travelled to New York to address the United Nations General Assembly.
He also met Mamdani during the visit, with the pair using the occasion to promote progressive policies as an alternative to the political agenda of Donald Trump.
Their meeting appeared warm, with Mamdani praising social reforms introduced by the Spanish government and reciting verses by Granada-born poet Federico Garcia Lorca.
The paper-ball challenge also played on the two politicians’ shared enthusiasm for basketball.
Sanchez played the sport competitively during his youth and remains a well-known basketball fan in Spain.
Mamdani made headlines in June when he jokingly ‘temporarily suspended bedtime’ for New York children so they could stay awake to watch the New York Knicks compete in the NBA Finals.
