Tessa Wullaert leaves Fortuna Sittard: “Return to Belgium is not on the table”

Tessa Wullaert faces two important international matches with the Red Flames, against Spain and Denmark. She is aiming for qualification for the European Championship with Belgium. Her time at her club Fortuna Sittard will soon be over. Wullaert – and her manager – still have several options. “Return to Belgium? For the time being, I have other ambitions.”

“It’s all happening very quickly. Our previous campaign has only just ended and we are already starting a new one,” says the captain of the national team. “I am curious about the reaction of the group. I hope that we have learned from the games against Hungary and especially from the quick goals conceded.”

“We have nothing to lose against Spain. We are playing against the best players in the world and that is a great challenge. That is what I said to the group. There may be tension, but it should not turn into stress.”

“It will be a different match than against England and the Netherlands,” says Tessa Wullaert. Spain is tactically strong and is looking for a footballing solution. But just like against England and the Netherlands, we will have few chances. We have to finish the opportunities we get. The rest we have to defend. We must also believe in ourselves, although faith alone is not enough. We have to be 100 percent individually and as a team.”

It will also have to happen without Ives Serneels on the bench. “It doesn’t change much for us. We do miss him, but we are not going to put it in our heads. We have known Kris Van Der Haegen for a long time and the working method remains the same.”

And the goal in this group? “We are third based on the FIFA ranking. But that is not our ambition. We are aiming for top 2.”

Just like against England and the Netherlands, we will have few chances. We have to finish the opportunities we get.

Tessa Wullaert

Wullaert also received some questions about the plan that was proposed last week to take women’s football in Belgium to a higher level. She doesn’t know the details yet, she admits. “But I mainly expect a “how”. How are they going to approach it, how are we going to achieve those objectives. I am very curious.”

With the Flames the ambition is top 8 in Europe and top 12 in the world. “We have already taken steps, we are building. But the closer we get to the goal, the more difficult of course. Is it possible? Yes. But then everything has to be right. The competition here in Belgium must improve.”

That is why she is not thinking about returning to Belgium for the time being. “That is not on the table. A return could be possible in the future, but for now I have other ambitions.”

But she does confirm that she is leaving Fortuna. “My options are the same as now. Either I stay close to home, but play in a professional environment, or I leave everything behind and go to a European club. But then that has to be in consultation with my boyfriend and my family. The balance is very important to me.”

“For now it’s all work for my manager. I’m focusing on the sporting side, on scoring goals.”