Ketlen
Brazilian footballer
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Ketlen Wiggers (born 7 January 1992), simply known as Ketlen, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a forward for Santos.[2]
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ketlen Wiggers[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 7 January 1992 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Rio Fortuna, Brazil | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Forward | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Santos | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2010 | Santos | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Bangu | ? | (8) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Vitória das Tabocas | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | Vittsjö | 4 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | Centro Olímpico | 30 | (16) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | Boston Breakers | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015– | Santos | 241 | (115) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Brazil U17 | 3 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2012 | Brazil U20 | 7 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Brazil (University) | (5) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Brazil | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 21:09, 19 December 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 21:23, 17 April 2021 (UTC) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Ketlen has been associated with Santos for most of her career, being the top goalscorer in the women's team's history, and also the top goalscorer of the entire club in the post-Pelé era.[3]
Club career
Born in Rio Fortuna, Santa Catarina, Ketlen started her career in a football school in her hometown. In 2007, aged 15, she joined Santos after a trial period.[4] With some of Santos's leading players away training with the national team, Ketlen received an early chance in the first team. She scored her first goal for the club on 27 May 2007, in a 3–0 win over São José.[5]
A part of the squad which had Marta and Cristiane as their key units, Ketlen won two Campeonato Paulista de Futebol Feminino, two Copa do Brasil de Futebol Feminino and two Copa Libertadores Femenina titles.[4] She left the club in early 2011 to join Bangu,[4] but ended the year at Vitória das Tabocas,[6] where she also won Campeonato Pernambucano de Futebol Feminino titles during her spell.
On 9 May 2013, Ketlen moved abroad for the first time in her career, joining Swedish Damallsvenskan side Vittsjö.[7] However, she only played five times for the club during the season.[8]
Shortly after leaving Vittsjö, Ketlen returned to her home country with Centro Olímpico. On 4 December 2014, she was transferred to National Women's Soccer League side Boston Breakers.[9]
After Ketlen played 61 minutes of one match, the Breakers agreed to release her from her contract due to homesickness on 7 May 2015.[10] She subsequently returned to her first club Santos, after the women's team was reestablished.[4]
On 14 September 2020, Ketlen scored her 100th goal for the Sereias da Vila in a 2–0 win over Minas ICESP, becoming the first woman to do so at the club.[11] In March 2022, however, after some new research, 42 goals were added to her account, giving her 162 goals for Santos at the time.[12] On 23 November 2022, she renewed her contract with Santos for one year.[13]
On 14 January 2024, Santos announced the renewal of Ketlen's contract for another two seasons.[14]
In 2025, Ketlen made a pause in her career because she was pregnant and later gave birth to her first son Lucca. However, she did not stop training with Santos through most of her pregnancy, only stopping after the eighth month.[15][16][17][18][19]
International career
Ketlen represented Brazil at under-17 and under-20 levels. She played in the 2008 South American U-17 Women's Championship, and in the 2010 and 2012 editions of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup aside from winning the 2010 and 2012 editions of the South American U-20 Women's Championship.
On 16 September 2011, after impressing in the 2011 Summer Universiade, Ketlen was called up to the senior team for the Pan American Games.[20] She made her full international debut on 18 October, coming on as a second-half substitute for Daniele in a 2–0 win over Argentina at Estadio Omnilife in Guadalajara, Mexico.[21] She featured in two more matches during the competition, as Brazil won the silver medal.
Personal life
Since playing for Vitória das Tabocas, Ketlen has sometimes worn the nickname "Barbie" on her shirt. This is due to Pernambuco residents thinking her light skin, blue eyes and fair hair bore a resemblance to the fashion doll manufactured by Mattel.[22]
Career statistics
Club
- As of 24 December 2025[23]
| Club | Season | League | State league | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Vittsjö | 2013 | Damallsvenskan | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | ||||
| Centro Olímpico | 2013 | Série A1 | 12 | 8 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 8 | ||||
| 2014 | 6 | 2 | 12 | 6 | — | — | — | 18 | 8 | |||||
| Total | 18 | 10 | 12 | 6 | — | — | — | 30 | 16 | |||||
| Boston Breakers | 2015 | NWSL | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Santos | 2015 | Série A1 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 3 | — | — | — | 18 | 10 | |||
| 2016 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 9 | 2 | 4 | — | — | 20 | 15 | ||||
| 2017 | 20 | 8 | 9 | 3 | — | — | — | 29 | 11 | |||||
| 2018 | 12 | 5 | 13 | 11 | — | 4[a] | 0 | — | 29 | 16 | ||||
| 2019 | 9 | 5 | 14 | 6 | — | — | — | 23 | 11 | |||||
| 2020 | 16 | 7 | 6 | 4 | — | — | 4[b] | 1 | 26 | 12 | ||||
| 2021 | 16 | 6 | 10 | 4 | — | — | — | 26 | 10 | |||||
| 2022 | 12 | 4 | 15 | 8 | — | — | — | 27 | 12 | |||||
| 2023 | 18 | 8 | 13 | 6 | — | — | — | 31 | 14 | |||||
| 2024 | 13 | 2 | 9 | 7 | — | 4[a] | 4 | 3[b] | 1 | 29 | 14 | |||
| 2025 | Série A2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 127 | 54 | 114 | 61 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 258 | 125 | ||
| Career total | 150 | 64 | 126 | 67 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 293 | 141 | ||
- Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores Femenina
- Appearance(s) in Copa Paulista de Futebol Feminino
International
- As of 17 April 2021
Honours
Santos
- Campeonato Paulista de Futebol Feminino: 2007, 2010, 2018
- Copa Libertadores Femenina: 2009, 2010
- Copa do Brasil de Futebol Feminino: 2008, 2009
- Campeonato Brasileiro de Futebol Feminino Série A1: 2017
- Campeonato Paulista de Futebol Feminino: 2018
- Copa Paulista de Futebol Feminino: 2020, 2024
Vitória das Tabocas
Centro Olímpico
Brazil U20
Brazil
- Pan American Games Silver Medal: 2011
