Tessa Wullaert (born 19 March 1993) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Serie A club Inter Milan and the Belgium national team.

Tessa Wullaert
Wullaert with Manchester City in 2019
Personal information
Date of birth (1993-03-19) 19 March 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth Tielt, Belgium
Height 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Inter Milan
Number 31
Youth career
FC Wakken
Engelmunster
Harelbeke
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2012 Zulte Waregem
2012–2013 Anderlecht 15 (6)
2013–2015 Standard Liège 51 (34)
2015–2018 VfL Wolfsburg 37 (7)
2018–2020 Manchester City 31 (6)
2020–2022 Anderlecht 50 (72)
2022–2024 Fortuna Sittard 42 (46)
2024– Inter Milan 2 (2)
International career
2008 Belgium U15 2 (1)
2008–2010 Belgium U17 17 (3)
2008–2011 Belgium U19 12 (7)
2011– Belgium 136 (83)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11:00, 24 September 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 28 October 2024 [1]

Club career

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Belgium

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Wullaert's first team was SV Zulte Waregem in the Belgian First Division, where she played from 2008 to 2012.[2] For the 2012–13 season, when the BeNe League, a new joint league between Belgium and the Netherlands, was created, she moved to RSC Anderlecht, with which she won the Belgian Cup. She left after one year and signed for Standard Liège, scoring 16 league goals during the 2013–14 season and winning the Belgian Cup again. In 2014–15, her second season playing for Standard, she won the BeNe League top scorer award with 18 goals, helping the club win the title.[3]

Wolfsburg

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In May 2015, Wullaert moved to VfL Wolfsburg.[4] She spent three seasons with the club, winning two Bundesliga and three DFB-Pokal titles. She also appeared in two Champions League finals, both as a substitute.

Manchester City

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In June 2018, Wullaert signed for English FA WSL club Manchester City.[5] In her first season with the club, Wullaert won the FA Cup and League Cup double, finishing runner-up in the league. Following two seasons with the club, Wullaert announced she had declined a new contract and would be leaving.[6][7]

Anderlecht

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In 2020, Wullaert moved back to Belgium to be closer to her family and boyfriend. She signed a contract with Anderlecht that made her the only fully professional female footballer in Belgium at the time.[citation needed] She scored more than 30 goals in each of her two seasons with Anderlecht, leading the Women's Super League in scoring and helping Anderlecht win two league titles and the Belgian Cup in 2022.

Fortuna Sittard

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After two years in her native Belgium, Wullaert agreed terms with newcomers to the Dutch Eredivisie Fortuna Sittard, situated just across the border from Belgium.[8] In March 2024, she scored a league record of 7 goals in an 8–0 win over Telstar.[9] With 26 goals, Wullaert became top scorer of the 2023–24 Eredivisie.[10] She also won the league's player of the year award [nl].[11]

Inter Milan Women

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On 7 June 2024, it was announced that Wullaert would join the Inter Milan women's team.[12]

International career

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Wullaert with Belgium in 2014

Wullaert represented Belgium at the 2011 UEFA Women's U-19 Championship[13] and in the same year made her debut for the senior national team.[14][15] After only a few years, she achieved the record for highest number of international goals by a Belgian female football player, she caught up with team captain Aline Zeler in October 2015 and overtook her in March 2016.

Career statistics

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As of match played 6 October 2022[16]
Scores and results list Belgium's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Wullaert goal.
List of international goals scored by Tessa Wullaert
G C Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 1 20 August 2011 Stade Armand-Melis, Dessel, Belgium   Russia 1–0 1–0 Friendly
2 2 17 September 2011 Stade Armand-Melis, Dessel, Belgium   Hungary 1–0 2–1 UEFA Women's Euro 2013 qualifying
3 5 15 February 2012 Stade Armand-Melis, Dessel, Belgium   Northern Ireland 2–1 2–2 UEFA Women's Euro 2013 qualifying
4 6 4 April 2012 Stade Armand-Melis, Dessel, Belgium   Iceland 1–0 1–0 UEFA Women's Euro 2013 qualifying
5 8 9 June 2012 Henri Houtsaegerstadion, Koksijde, Belgium   North Korea 2–2 2–2 Friendly
6 11 15 September 2012 Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway   Norway 1–2 2–3 UEFA Women's Euro 2013 qualifying
7 13 9 February 2013 Regenboogstadion, Waregem, Belgium   Netherlands 1–0 2–3 Friendly
8 14 13 February 2013 PGB-Stadion, Oostakker, Belgium   Austria 1–0 2–0 Friendly
9 15 2 June 2013 Stade Leburton, Tubize, Belgium   Ukraine 3–0 3–0 Friendly
10 19 26 October 2013 Levadia Stadium, Livadeia   Greece 4–1 7–1 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
11 7–1
12 20 31 October 2013 Bosuilstadion, Antwerp, Belgium   Portugal 2–1 4–1 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
13 4–1
14 23 5 April 2014 Niko Dovana Stadium, Durrës, Albania   Albania 2–0 6–0 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
15 26 13 September 2014 Stade Eneco, Leuven, Belgium   Greece 4–0 11–0 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
16 6–0
17 8–0
18 11–0
19 27 17 September 2014 Estádio Municipal de Abrantes, Abrantes, Portugal   Portugal 1–0 1–0 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
20 28 22 November 2014 Stadion Ludowy, Sosnowiec, Poland   Poland 1–0 4–0 Friendly
21 29 11 February 2015 Estadio José Antonio Pérez, San Pedro del Pinatar, Spain   Spain 1–0 1–2 Friendly
22 30 3 March 2015 Paralimni Stadium, Paralimni, Cyprus   Czech Republic 2–2 2–2 2015 Cyprus Cup
23 34 23 May 2015 Stayen, Sint-Truiden, Belgium   Norway 3–2 3–2 Friendly
24 37 27 October 2015 Bilino Polje Stadium, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina   Bosnia and Herzegovina 3–0 5–0 UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying
25 4–0
26 42 9 March 2016 Complexo Desportivo de VRSA, Vila Real de Santo António, Portugal   Russia 1–0 5–0 2016 Algarve Cup
27 44 12 April 2016 Stade Eneco, Leuven, Belgium   Estonia 3–0 6–0 UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying
28 5–0
29 52 3 March 2017 AEK Arena, Larnaca, Cyprus   Italy 1–1 4–1 Friendly
30 54 8 March 2017 AEK Arena, Larnaca, Cyprus   Austria 1–0 1–1 Friendly
31 56 11 April 2017 Stade Eneco, Leuven, Belgium   Scotland 3–0 5–0 Friendly
32 60 11 July 2017 Van Roystadion, Denderleeuw, Belgium   Russia 1–0 2–0 Friendly
33 63 24 July 2017 Koning Willem II Stadion, Tilburg, Netherlands   Netherlands 1–1 1–2 UEFA Women's Euro 2017
34 64 19 September 2017 Stade Eneco, Leuven, Belgium   Moldova 2–0 12–0 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
35 3–0
36 5–0
37 65 20 October 2017 Stade Eneco, Leuven, Belgium   Romania 1–0 3–2 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
38 69 7 March 2018 GSZ Stadium, Larnaca, Cyprus   South Africa 1–1 2–1 2018 Cyprus Cup
39 72 20 June 2018 Stade Zimbru, Chișinău, Moldavo   Moldova 6–0 7–0 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
40 81 24 May 2019 Municipal Pylos Stadium, Pylos, Greece   Greece 2–0 2–1 Friendly
41 82 1 June 2019 Stade Eneco, Leuven, Belgium   Thailand 2–0 6–1 Friendly
42 86 8 November 2019 Ivan Laljak-Ivić Stadium, Zaprešić, Croatia   Croatia 1–0 4–1 UEFA Women's Euro 2021 qualifying
43 91 18 September 2020 Den Dreef, Leuven, Belgium   Romania 1–0 6–1 UEFA Women's Euro 2021 qualifying
44 3–0
45 4–0
46 92 22 September 2020 Stockhorn Arena, Thun, Switzerland   Switzerland 1–2 1–2 UEFA Women's Euro 2021 qualifying
47 93 27 October 2020 Sūduva Stadium, Marijampolė, Lithuania   Lithuania 1–0 9–0 UEFA Women's Euro 2021 qualifying
48 7–0
49 8–0
50 94 1 December 2020 Den Dreef, Leuven, Belgium   Switzerland 3–0 4–0 UEFA Women's Euro 2021 qualifying
51 100 21 September 2021 King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium   Albania 6–0 7–0 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
52 101 21 October 2021 Den Dreef, Leuven, Belgium   Kosovo 3–0 7–0 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
53 6–0
54 7–0
55 103 25 November 2021 Den Dreef, Leuven, Belgium   Armenia 2–0 19–0 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
56 10–0
57 12–0
58 17–0
59 18–0
60 105 7 April 2022 Elbasan Arena, Elbasan, Albania   Albania 2–0 5–0 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
61 4–0
62 106 12 April 2022 Fadil Vokrri Stadium, Pristina, Kosovo   Kosovo 2–0 6–1 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
63 3–0
64 4–0
65 5–0
66 108 23 June 2022 Herman Vanderpoortenstadion, Lier, Belgium   Northern Ireland 1–0 3–1 Friendly
67 3–1
68 115 6 September 2022 Yerevan Football Academy Stadium, Yerevan, Armenia   Armenia 4–0 7–0 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
69 116 6 October 2022 Estádio do FC Vizela, Vizela, Portugal   Portugal 1–1 2–1 2023 FIFA WC Qualy play-offs
70 117 13 November 2022 Joseph Marien Stadium, Brussels, Belgium   Slovakia 3–0 7–0 Friendly
71 6–0
72 118 16 February 2023 Stadium MK, Milton Keynes, England   Italy 2–1 2–1 2023 Arnold Clark Cup
73 119 19 February 2023 Coventry Building Society Arena, Coventry, England   South Korea 1–1 2–1
74 121 11 April 2023 Den Dreef, Leuven, Belgium   Slovenia 1–1 2–2 Friendly
75 2–1
76 125 31 October 2023   England 2–2 3–2 2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League
77 3–2
78 128 23 February 2024 Pancho Aréna, Felcsút, Hungary   Hungary 2–1 5–1 2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League play-offs
79 4–1
80 129 27 February 2024 Den Dreef, Leuven, Belgium   Hungary 1–1 5–1
81 2–1
82 3–1
83 132 31 May 2024 Eden Arena, Prague, Czech Republic   Czech Republic 1–0 2–1 UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying
84 137 29 October 2024 Den Dreef, Leuven, Belgium   Greece 2–0 5–0 UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying play-offs
85 3–0

Honours

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Zulte Waregem

Anderlecht

Standard Liège

VfL Wolfsburg

Manchester City

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Al onze Red Flames" [All our Red Flames]. RBFA (in Dutch). Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  2. ^ 2011–12 squad Archived 2012-03-15 at the Wayback Machine in Zulte Waregem's website -> Info DZW -> Speelsters
  3. ^ "Standard Liege are BeNe League champions" (in Dutch). BeNeLeague.com. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  4. ^ "Tessa Wullaert switches Standard Liège for Wolfsburg" (in German). VfL Wolfsburg. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  5. ^ "Manchester City Women sign Tessa Wullaert from Wolfsburg". Sky Sports. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  6. ^ "Tessa Wullaert: Manchester City's Belgium forward to leave club". BBC Sport. 26 June 2020.
  7. ^ Oatway, Caroline. "Tessa Wullaert to depart". www.mancity.com.
  8. ^ "Wow! Wullaert tekent contract in Nederland: "Mooi project" (Foto)".
  9. ^ "Weergaloze Wullaert scoort 7 goals in monsterzege Fortuna Sittard en vestigt Eredivisie-record" (in Dutch). Sporza. 22 March 2024.
  10. ^ "Red Flame Tessa Wullaert maakt toptransfer naar Inter". Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). 7 June 2024.
  11. ^ a b c "Big winners of the Eredivisie Awards: Luuk de Jong, Tessa Wullaert, Johan Bakayoko, and Lily Yohannes". Eredivisie. 2 September 2024. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  12. ^ "Toptransfer voor Tessa Wullaert: Gouden Schoen tekent tot 2026 bij Inter". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). 7 June 2024.
  13. ^ Quick-fire goals beat Belgium and keep Italy perfect. UEFA
  14. ^ Profile in UEFA's website
  15. ^ Tessa Wullaert scores for the Red Devils against Northern Ireland. Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch)
  16. ^ "Royal Belgian FA".
  17. ^ "Standard-spits Tessa Wullaert valt in de prijzen". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). 5 May 2014.
  18. ^ "Eerste Sparkle is voor Tessa Wullaert!". vrouwenvoetbal.be (in Dutch). 2015.
  19. ^ "Toby Alderweireld zet kroon op Antwerpse feestavond met Gouden Schoen, Tessa Wullaert wint vierde bij de vrouwen" (in Dutch). Sporza. 18 January 2024.
  20. ^ "Deniz Undav is Profvoetballer & Tessa Wullaert Profvoetbalster van het Jaar". SPORZA. 23 May 2022.
  21. ^ "Voetbalster Wullaert vestigt Eredivisie-record: zeven goals in één wedstrijd". hartvannederland.nl (in Dutch). 22 March 2024.
  22. ^ "Voetbalster Tessa Wullaert gehuldigd als ereburger van Harelbeke". VRT (in Dutch). 22 June 2024.
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