{{short description|Belgian footballer}} {{Infobox football biography |name = Sarah Wijnants |image = Partido España - Bélxica en Riazor, clasificatorio Eurocopa 2025 214 (cropped).jpg |image_size = |alt = |caption = Wijnants with Belgium in 2024 |fullname = Sarah Wijnants |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1999|10|13}} |birth_place = Leuven, Belgium |height = 1.69 m |position = Forward |currentclub = Fiorentina |clubnumber = 11 |youthyears1 = –2014 |youthclubs1 = NS Tervuren |years1 = 2014–2017 |clubs1 = Standard Liège |caps1 = |goals1 = |years2 = 2017–2025 |clubs2 = Anderlecht |caps2 = 224 |goals2 = 95 |years3 = 2025– |clubs3 = Fiorentina |caps3 = 3 |goals3 = 0 |nationalyears1 = 2014 |nationalteam1 = Belgium U15 |nationalcaps1 = 1 |nationalgoals1 = 0 |nationalyears2 = 2014–2015 |nationalteam2 = Belgium U16 |nationalcaps2 = 5 |nationalgoals2 = 0 |nationalyears3 = 2014–2016 |nationalteam3 = Belgium U17 |nationalcaps3 = 14 |nationalgoals3 = 3 |nationalyears4 = 2016–2017 |nationalteam4 = Belgium U19 |nationalcaps4 = 12 |nationalgoals4 = 1 |nationalyears5 = 2017– |nationalteam5 = Belgium |nationalcaps5 = 42 |nationalgoals5 = 3 |medaltemplates = |club-update = 6 December 2025 | ntupdate = 26 October 2025 <ref>{{Cite web |access-date=2025-10-26 |title=Al onze Red Flames |trans-title=All our Red Flames|url=https://www.rbfa.be/nl/nationale-ploegen/belgian-red-flames/alle-red-flames |website=RBFA |language=nl}}</ref> }}
'''Sarah Wijnants''' (born 13 October 1999) is a Belgian footballer who plays as a forward for Serie A Femminile club Fiorentina and the Belgium women's national football team (also known as the Belgian Red Flames). She has won nine league titles in a row in Belgium, the first two with Standard Liege and the rest with Anderlecht.
== Club career == Wijnants started her career in the youth structure at NS Tervuren. In 2014, she moved to Belgian Women's Super League side Standard Liège, making her UEFA Champions League debut on 10 October 2015 against Frankfurt. Standard lost 6–0.
Wijnants won back-to-back league titles with Standard in 2015–16 and 2016–17, departing at the end of the latter season to go to Anderlecht.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.vrouwenvoetbalkrant.be/nieuws/lees/2017-05-20/biesmans-en-wijnants-spreken-over-hun-vertrek-bij-standard|title=Biesmans en Wijnants spreken over hun vertrek bij Standard|date=2017-05-20|work=Vrouwenvoetbalkrant.be|access-date=2017-06-04|language=nl}}</ref>
Wijnants immediately won seven league titles in a row with Anderlecht, sweeping the Belgian Women's Super League from the 2017–18 season right through to 2023–24,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rtbf.be/sport/football/detail_anderlecht-champion-de-belgique-chez-les-dames?id=9906966|title=Anderlecht champion de Belgique chez les dames|publisher=RTBF|date=1 May 2018|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.belgiumsoccer.be/nieuws/lees/2020-03-27/officieel-anderlecht-is-kampioen--bij-de-vrouwen|title = OFFICIEEL: Anderlecht is kampioen ... Bij de vrouwen|date = 27 March 2020|language=nl}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=7 op een rij! Een dominant Anderlecht zet kroon op het werk in titelmatch tegen Genk|trans-title=7 in a row! A dominant Anderlecht puts the crown on the work in title match against Genk |url=https://sporza.be/nl/matches/voetbal/lotto-super-league/2023-2024/play-off-i/10/anderlecht-krc-genk-7-op-een-rij-een-dominant-anderlecht-zet-kroon-op-het-werk-in-titelmatch-tegen-genk~1687445948392//|date=2024-05-25 |access-date=6 December 2024 |website=Sporza |language=nl}}</ref> earning Wijnants in total nine Belgian league titles in a row.
After Anderlecht were finally denied the title in 2025 by Oud-Heverlee Leuven, Wijnants moved to Serie A Femminile club Fiorentina, her first move abroad from Belgium.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sporza.be/nl/2025/07/24/nog-een-red-flame-naar-het-buitenland-sarah-wijnants-trekt-na-8~1753353104931/|title=Nog een Red Flame naar het buitenland: Sarah Wijnants trekt na 8 jaar Anderlecht naar Fiorentina|work=Sporza|date=2025-07-24|access-date=2025-10-28}}</ref>
== International career == === Youth === Wijnants played her first game with the Flames U15 on 26 March 2014 against the Netherlands. The game was lost 0–6.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://static.belgianfootball.be/project/publiek/rencinter/nl/wed_8032.htm|title=Internationale wedstrijden – KBVB|last=URBSFA|first=Delaey Tom – Landsheere Koen – KBVB -|website=static.belgianfootball.be|language=nl|access-date=2017-05-17}}</ref> The same year, she played for the Flames U16 and U17. She made her first cap for the U16 team on a tournament in Magglingen, Switzerland, against Croatia. The game was won 0–4.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://static.belgianfootball.be/project/publiek/rencinter/nl/wed_8323.htm|title=Internationale wedstrijden – KBVB|last=URBSFA|first=Delaey Tom – Landsheere Koen – KBVB -|website=static.belgianfootball.be|language=nl|access-date=2017-05-17}}</ref> Her last game for the U16 team was on 7 May 2015 against Norway in Castro Verde, Portugal.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://static.belgianfootball.be/project/publiek/rencinter/nl/wed_8948.htm|title=Internationale wedstrijden – KBVB|last=URBSFA|first=Delaey Tom – Landsheere Koen – KBVB -|website=static.belgianfootball.be|language=nl|access-date=2017-05-17}}</ref>
On 6 October 2014 she made her first cap with the U17 in a 3–0 victory against Latvia on which she scored the opening goal. This was the first goal as an international.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://static.belgianfootball.be/project/publiek/rencinter/nl/wed_8546.htm|title=Internationale wedstrijden – KBVB|last=URBSFA|first=Delaey Tom – Landsheere Koen – KBVB -|website=static.belgianfootball.be|language=nl|access-date=2017-05-17}}</ref> She played in total 14 games and was able to score three goals. She played her last game for the U17 on 29 March 2015 against England, the game was lost 2–0. In 2016 she made her first cap for the U19 in a match against Ireland and won with 2–1. The friendly game was played in Tubize, Belgium, on 19 September.
=== Senior === Wijnants made her first senior appearance in a friendly match against France in Clairefontaine on 19 January 2017. She played 10 minutes and the game ended with a 1–2 victory.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://static.belgianfootball.be/project/publiek/rencinter/nl/wed_9498.htm|title=Internationale wedstrijden – KBVB|last=URBSFA|first=Delaey Tom – Landsheere Koen – KBVB -|website=static.belgianfootball.be|language=nl|access-date=2017-05-17}}</ref> The Red Flames were invited to participate in the Cyprus Cup. Wijnants did not make the selection at first but was called up as a replacement for Laura de Neve who had sustained an injury.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.vrouwenvoetbalkrant.be/nieuws/lees/2017-02-27/sarah-wijnants-vervangt-laura-de-neve-in-cyprus|title=Sarah Wijnants vervangt Laura De Neve in Cyprus|date=2017-02-27|work=Vrouwenvoetbalkrant.be|access-date=2017-05-17|language=nl}}</ref>
Belgium's first appearance at the Women's European Championships, their group stage exit at Euro 2017, came too early for Wijnants, but she was selected for the Red Flames' subsequent run to the 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.<ref>{{in lang|fr}} [https://www.lesoir.be/454869/article/2022-07-18/euro-feminin-qualifiees-pour-les-quarts-les-red-flames-ont-deja-tout-gagne Euro féminin : qualifiées pour les quarts, les Red Flames ont déjà tout gagné]</ref><ref>{{in lang|fr}} [https://www.rtbf.be/article/euro-feminin-suede-belgique-les-red-flames-eliminees-en-quart-de-finale-dans-les-toutes-dernieres-secondes-11034389 Euro féminin - Suède-Belgique : Les Red Flames éliminées en quart de finale dans les toutes dernières secondes]</ref>
At the start of 2022, Wijnants helped Belgium win the Pinatar Cup in Spain for the first time, beating Russia 7–6 on penalties in the final after a 0–0 draw. Wijnants scored Belgium's first successful penalty in the series, after the first had been missed by Davina Philtjens.<ref>{{in lang|fr}} [https://www.rtbf.be/article/les-red-flames-remportent-la-pinatar-cup-face-a-la-russie-le-tout-premier-trophee-de-leur-histoire-10940999 Les Red Flames remportent la Pinatar Cup face à la Russie, le tout premier trophée de leur histoire]</ref>
She contributed to Belgium's successful qualification for UEFA Women's Euro 2025 via the play-offs.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Red Flames dansen, zingen en glunderen na EK-kwalificatie: "Zeer belangrijk voor ons vrouwenvoetbal"|trans-title=Red Flames dance, sing and beam after European Championship qualification: "Very important for our women's football"|url=https://sporza.be/nl/2024/12/03/red-flames-dansen-zingen-en-glunderen-na-ek-kwalificatie-zeer-belangrijk-voor-ons-vrouwenvoetbal~1733261431019/|date=2024-12-05 |website=Sporza |language=nl}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Het EK is binnen! Red Flames klaren ook laatste klus tegen Oekraïne na knappe goal en assist van Tessa Wullaert|trans-title=The European Championship is here! Red Flames complete final task against Ukraine after a great goal and assist from Tessa Wullaert |url=https://sporza.be/nl/matches/voetbal/2024-11/het-ek-is-binnen-red-flames-klaren-ook-laatste-klus-tegen-oekraine-na-knappe-goal-en-assist-van-tessa-wullaert~1732532810075/|date=2024-12-05 |website=Sporza |language=nl}}</ref> Wijnants played in the group stages and in the play-off semi-final against Greece but missed the victory over Ukraine in the play-off final on 3 December 2024.
On 11 June 2025, Wijnants was called up to the Belgium squad for the UEFA Women's Euro 2025.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Belgian Red Flames squad for EURO 2025 |url=https://www.rbfa.be/en/news/belgian-red-flames-squad-euro-2025 |website=Royal Belgian Football Association |access-date=15 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250614234131/https://www.rbfa.be/en/news/belgian-red-flames-squad-euro-2025 |archive-date=14 June 2025 |date=11 June 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref>
== Career statistics == === Club === {{updated|match played 3 May 2017}}<ref>{{cite web|title=UEFA Women's Champions League|url=https://www.uefa.com/womenschampionsleague/clubs/players/250078354--sarah-wijnants/|website=UEFA|access-date=4 May 2017|language=en}}</ref>
{| class=wikitable style="text-align:center" |- !colspan=3|Champions League |- !Year!!Apps!!Goals |- |2015||1||0 |- |2016||3||1 |- !Total||4||1 |}
=== International === {{updated|match played 6 October 2022}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rbfa.be/en/international/7138/career|title=Sarah Wijnants|website=www.rbfa.be}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by national team and year |- !National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="6"|Belgium |2017||4||0 |- |2018||4||0 |- |2019||1||0 |- |2020||2||0 |- |2021||7||1 |- |2022||8||1 |- !colspan=2|Total!!26!!2 |}
:''Scores and results list Belgium's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Wijnants goal.''
{| class="wikitable sortable" |+ List of international goals scored by Sarah Wijnants |- !scope="col"|No. !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Venue !scope="col"|Opponent !scope="col"|Score !scope="col"|Result !scope="col"|Competition |- |style="text-align:center"|1||25 November 2021||Den Dreef, Leuven, Belgium||{{fbw|ARM}}||style="text-align:center"|'''3'''–0||style="text-align:center"|19–0||2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying |- |style="text-align:center"|2||16 February 2022||Pinatar Arena, San Pedro del Pinatar, Spain||{{fbw|SVK}}||style="text-align:center"|'''4'''–0||style="text-align:center"|4–0|| rowspan=2| Friendly |- |style="text-align:center|3|| 7 April 2022 || Stadion Wiener Neustadt, Wiener Neustadt, Austria || {{fbw|AUT}} || align=center|'''1'''–0 || align=center| 2–3 |- |}
== Honours == '''Standard Liege''' *Belgian Women's Super League: 2015–16, 2016–17
'''Anderlecht''' *Belgian Women's Super League: 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24 *Belgian Women's Cup: 2022
'''Belgium''' * Pinatar Cup: 2022
== References == {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{commons}} * {{Royal Belgian Football Association player|id=7138}} * [http://www.standard-femina.be/nl/playerinfo.php?t=A&pl=swijnants Profile Standard Liège]
{{ACF Fiorentina (women) squad}} {{Navboxes | title = Belgium squads | bg = #E20E0E | fg = #FDDA25 | bordercolor = black | list = {{Belgium squad UEFA Women's Euro 2022}} {{Belgium squad UEFA Women's Euro 2025}} }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wijnants, Sarah}} Category:1999 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Leuven Category:Belgian women's footballers Category:Women's association football forwards Category:Standard Liège (women) players Category:RSC Anderlecht (women) players Category:Super League Vrouwenvoetbal players Category:ACF Fiorentina (women) players Category:Serie A (women's football) players Category:Belgium women's youth international footballers Category:Belgium women's international footballers Category:UEFA Women's Euro 2022 players Category:UEFA Women's Euro 2025 players Category:21st-century Belgian sportswomen