Tessa Wullaert

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Date of birth (1993-03-19) 19 March 1993 (age 33)
Place of birth Tielt, Belgium
Height 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Position Forward
Tessa Wullaert
Wullaert in 2024
Personal information
Date of birth (1993-03-19) 19 March 1993 (age 33)
Place of birth Tielt, Belgium
Height 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Position Forward
Team information
Current team
Inter Milan
Number 31
Youth career
FC Wakken
Ingelmunster
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 21 (10)
International career
2008 Belgium U15 2 (1)
2008–2010 Belgium U17 17 (3)
2008–2011 Belgium U19 12 (7)
2011– Belgium 154 (101)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 15:15, 27 June 2025 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 7 March 2026 [1]

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, where she has amassed the second-highest number of caps for her country ever. She is her country's highest goalscorer of all-time in women's international football with 93 goals, and also holds the absolute goalscoring national record having scored more than Romelu Lukaku.[2] Wullaert has won league titles in Belgium and Germany, plus the English FA Cup.

Belgium

Wullaert's first team was SV Zulte Waregem in the Belgian First Division, where she played from 2008 to 2012.[3] 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.[4]

Wolfsburg

In May 2015, Wullaert moved to VfL Wolfsburg.[5] 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

In June 2018, Wullaert signed for English FA WSL club Manchester City.[6] 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.[7][8]

Anderlecht

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

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.[9] In March 2024, she scored a league record of 7 goals in an 8–0 win over Telstar.[10] With 26 goals, Wullaert became top scorer of the 2023–24 Eredivisie.[11] She also won the league's player of the year award.[12]

Inter Milan Women

On 7 June 2024, it was announced that Wullaert would join the Inter Milan women's team.[13]

International career

Wullaert with Belgium in 2014

Wullaert represented Belgium at the 2011 UEFA Women's U-19 Championship[14] and in the same year made her debut for the senior national team.[15][16] Within four years she achieved the record for highest number of international goals by a Belgian female football player, going level up with team captain Aline Zeler in October 2015, overtaking her in March 2016.

Wullaert played in Belgium's only two appearances at the Women's European Championships, their group stage exit at Euro 2017 where she netted in a 2–1 loss to the Netherlands, and the Red Flames' subsequent run to quarter-finals at Euro 2022, where she did not score but did help Belgium out of their group for the first time ever.

In their second appearance at the continental finals, the Red Flames finished second in Group D behind group favourites France, against whom they conceded a narrow defeat (1–2), but ahead of Iceland with a 1–1 draw and Italy, who they edged out 1–0. Belgium lost 1–0 to Sweden in the quarter-finals.[17][18]

At the start of 2022, Wullaert was named in the Belgium squad for the Pinatar Cup friendly tournament in Spain but had to pull out through injury. Belgium went on to win the tournament for the first time, beating Russia on penalties after a 0–0 draw.[19][20]

Wullaert's two goals against Greece in the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying play-off semi-final second leg on 29 October 2024 saw her reach 85 goals for her country, matching Romelu Lukaku's men's record to become the joint-highlest goalscorer ever for any Belgiam senior national football team.[2][21]

This record came in her 137th appearance for the Red Flames, with only Janice Cayman amassing more caps (153).

Wullaert took custody of the Belgian outscoring senior reconrd again when she netted her 86th goal for the Red Flames in their 2–0 Euro 2025 play-off final first-leg win away to Ukraine on 29 November 2024,[22] scoring the clincher in the second-leg for a 2–1 win on the night, qualifying 4–1 on aggregate.[23][24]

On 11 June 2025, Wullaert was called up to the Belgium squad for the UEFA Women's Euro 2025.[25]

On 7 March 2026, Wullaert scored her 100th international goals against Israel in 5–0 victory at 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification.[26][27]

Among Wullaert's record national haul of 101 goals, Wullaert has scored nine hat-tricks in her international career, including a five-goal haul in a 19–0 Women's World Cup qualifier against Armenia in 2021 and four against Greece in another qualifier in 2015.[28]

Career statistics

As of match played 7 March 2026[29]
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  Hungary 1–0 2–1 UEFA Women's Euro 2013 qualifying
3 5 15 February 2012  Northern Ireland 2–1 2–2
4 6 4 April 2012  Iceland 1–0 1–0
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
9 15 2 June 2013 Stade Leburton, Tubize, Belgium  Ukraine 3–0 3–0
10 19 26 October 2013 Levadia Stadium, Livadeia, Greece  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
13 4–1
14 23 5 April 2014 Niko Dovana Stadium, Durrës, Albania  Albania 2–0 6–0
15 26 13 September 2014 Stade Eneco, Leuven, Belgium  Greece 4–0 11–0
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
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
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 2017 Cyprus Women's Cup
30 54 8 March 2017  Austria 1–0 1–1
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
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  Romania 1–0 3–2
38 69 7 March 2018 GSZ Stadium, Larnaca, Cyprus  South Africa 1–1 2–1 2018 Cyprus Cup
39 72 20 June 2018 Zimbru Stadium, Chișinău, Moldova  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
42 86 8 November 2019 Ivan Laljak-Ivić Stadium, Zaprešić, Croatia  Croatia 1–0 4–1 UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying
43 91 18 September 2020 Den Dreef, Leuven, Belgium  Romania 1–0 6–1
44 3–0
45 4–0
46 92 22 September 2020 Stockhorn Arena, Thun, Switzerland  Switzerland 1–2 1–2
47 93 27 October 2020 Sūduva Stadium, Marijampolė, Lithuania  Lithuania 1–0 9–0
48 7–0
49 8–0
50 94 1 December 2020 Den Dreef, Leuven, Belgium  Switzerland 3–0 4–0
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
53 6–0
54 7–0
55 103 25 November 2021  Armenia 2–0 19–0
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
61 4–0
62 106 12 April 2022 Fadil Vokrri Stadium, Pristina, Kosovo  Kosovo 2–0 6–1
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
86 138 29 November 2024 Mardan Sports Complex, Antalya, Turkey  Ukraine 2–0 2–0
87 139 3 December 2024 Den Dreef, Leuven, Belgium  Ukraine 2–1 2–1
88 140 21 February 2025 Estadi Ciutat de València, Valencia, Spain  Spain 2–0 2–3 2025 UEFA Women's Nations League
89 142 8 April 2025 Den Dreef, Leuven, Belgium  England 1–0 3–2
90 3–0
91 144 3 June 2025 Estádio do Marítimo, Funchal, Portugal  Portugal 2–0 3–0
92 3–0
93 146 26 June 2025 Edmond Machtens Stadium, Brussels, Belgium  Greece 1–0 2–0 Friendly
94 149 11 July 2025 Stade de Tourbillon, Sion, Switzerland  Portugal 1–0 2–1 UEFA Women's Euro 2025
95 150 24 October 2025 Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland  Republic of Ireland 1–1 2–4 2025 UEFA Women's Nations League play-offs
96 151 28 October 2025 Den Dreef, Leuven, Belgium  Republic of Ireland 1–0 2–1
97 2–0
98 153 3 March 2026 BSC Stadium, Budaörs, Hungary  Israel 1–0 3–0 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
99 154 7 March 2026 5–0
100 2–0
101 4–0

Honours

References

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