Belgium Women’s Football : Salaries, Rules, Teams 2023

Belgium is a country that loves football, and not just the men’s game. The women’s national team, nicknamed the Belgian Red Flames, has been making waves on the European stage in recent years, qualifying for their first major tournament in 2017 and reaching the quarter-finals in 2022. But how much do the players, coaches and staff earn? What are the rules of the game in Belgium? And who are the stars of the team? In this article, we will answer these questions and more, based on the latest information available in 2023.

Salaries of Players, Coaches and Staff

One of the challenges of women’s football is the lack of transparency and consistency in salaries across different countries and leagues. Unlike men’s football, where there are reliable sources of data and reports on wages, women’s football often relies on estimates and rumours. However, based on some available information, we can get a rough idea of how much the Belgian women’s footballers earn.

According to a report by The Telegraph in 2022, some players in the English Women’s Super League (WSL) were earning as little as £20,000 (approximately €23,000) per year, while the average salary was around £47,000 (approximately €54,000) per year. The highest-paid player in the WSL was Chelsea and Australia star Sam Kerr, who was rumoured to be on £400,000 (approximately €460,000) per year.

In comparison, the average salary for a player in the Belgian Women’s Super League (WSL) is estimated to be around €40,000 per year, which is slightly lower than the English average. However, some players may earn more or less depending on their club and contract. For example, Tessa Wullaert, the captain and top scorer of the national team, plays for Anderlecht in Belgium and is reportedly one of the highest-paid players in the country. However, her exact salary is not disclosed.

The salaries of coaches and staff are also not publicly available, but we can assume that they are higher than those of players. According to a report by Sports Payouts in 2023, the head coach of the national team, Ives Serneels, earns €500,000 per year before tax. He also receives a bonus for qualifying for major tournaments or reaching certain stages. For example, he received €75,000 for reaching the quarter-finals of Euro 2022. The salaries of his assistants and other staff members are unknown.

Rules of Women’s Football in Belgium

The rules of women’s football in Belgium are mostly the same as those of men’s football. The game is played with 11 players on each side, including a goalkeeper. The pitch size is between 100 and 110 metres long and between 64 and 75 metres wide. The duration of a match is 90 minutes, divided into two halves of 45 minutes each. There is a 15-minute break between the halves.

The main difference between men’s and women’s football in Belgium is the number of substitutions allowed. In men’s football, each team can make up to five substitutions during a match. In women’s football, each team can make up to six substitutions during a match. This rule was introduced by UEFA in 2019 to allow more flexibility and rotation for women’s teams.

Another difference is that women’s football in Belgium does not have a system of promotion and relegation between different divisions. The WSL is the top tier of women’s football in Belgium and consists of eight teams that play each other four times during a season. The team with the most points at the end of the season is crowned as the champion. There is no second division or lower leagues for women’s football in Belgium.

Team and Stars

The Belgian women’s national team is currently ranked 18th in the world by FIFA. They have qualified for two major tournaments so far: Euro 2017 and Euro 2022. In Euro 2017, they finished third in their group behind England and Spain and failed to advance to the knockout stage. In Euro 2022, they finished second in their group behind Denmark and reached the quarter-finals for the first time in their history. They lost to eventual champions Germany by a narrow margin of 1-0.

The star player of the team is Tessa Wullaert, who plays as a forward or an attacking midfielder. She is the captain and all-time top scorer of the team with 75 goals in 115 appearances. She plays her club football for Anderlecht in Belgium after spending four years with Manchester City in England. She has won several individual awards, including Belgian Golden Shoe (2015), Belgian Footballer of the Year (2016), UEFA Women’s Champions League Squad of the Season (2017) and WSL Player of the Month (2018).

Other key players of the team include Janice Cayman, who plays as a winger or a striker. She is the most capped player of the team with 138 appearances and has scored 48 goals. She plays her club football for Lyon in France, one of the most successful teams in women’s football. She has won four UEFA Women’s Champions League titles, six French league titles and five French cup titles with Lyon.

Another important player is Kassandra Missipo, who plays as a defensive midfielder. She is one of the youngest players of the team at 23 years old and has already made 50 appearances and scored four goals. She plays her club football for Gent in Belgium and has won two Belgian league titles and two Belgian cup titles with them. She was named as the Belgian Young Player of the Year in 2018.

Conclusion

Belgium women’s football is a growing sport that has achieved remarkable results in recent years. The players, coaches and staff are dedicated and passionate about the game and deserve recognition and support. The salaries of women’s footballers are still lower than those of men’s footballers, but they are improving as the sport becomes more popular and professional. The rules of women’s football in Belgium are similar to those of men’s football, except for the number of substitutions allowed. The team is composed of talented and experienced players who have shown their quality and potential on the international stage. Belgium women’s football is a force to be reckoned with and a source of pride for the country.

Most Asked Questions and Answers

Q: How many times has Belgium qualified for the Women’s World Cup?

A: Belgium has never qualified for the Women’s World Cup. They came close in 2019, when they finished second in their qualifying group behind Italy, but lost to Switzerland in the play-offs.

Q: Who is the coach of Belgium women’s national team?

A: The coach of Belgium women’s national team is Ives Serneels, who has been in charge since 2011. He is a former player who played for several clubs in Belgium, including Anderlecht, Lierse and Mechelen.

Q: Who is the best player of Belgium women’s national team?

A: The best player of Belgium women’s national team is Tessa Wullaert, who is the captain and all-time top scorer of the team with 75 goals in 115 appearances. She plays as a forward or an attacking midfielder and is known for her creativity, vision and finishing.

Q: How much does Tessa Wullaert earn?

A: Tessa Wullaert’s salary is not publicly disclosed, but she is believed to be one of the highest-paid players in Belgium. She plays for Anderlecht in Belgium after spending four years with Manchester City in England.

Q: What is the nickname of Belgium women’s national team?

A: The nickname of Belgium women’s national team is the Belgian Red Flames, which reflects their passion, determination and spirit.

Q: What is the ranking of Belgium women’s national team?

A: The ranking of Belgium women’s national team is 18th in the world by FIFA as of August 2023. They are also ranked 9th in Europe by UEFA.

Q: What are the colours of Belgium women’s national team?

A: The colours of Belgium women’s national team are red, black and yellow, which are the colours of the Belgian flag. They usually wear red shirts, black shorts and yellow socks as their home kit, and black shirts, yellow shorts and red socks as their away kit.

Q: Who are the rivals of Belgium women’s national team?

A: The rivals of Belgium women’s national team are mainly their neighbouring countries, such as Netherlands, Germany and France. They also have a friendly rivalry with England, whom they have faced several times in recent tournaments.

Q: When did Belgium women’s national team play their first match?

A: Belgium women’s national team played their first match on 30 May 1976, a 2–1 win in a friendly against France in Reims.

Q: What is the biggest win and biggest defeat of Belgium women’s national team?

A: The biggest win of Belgium women’s national team is 19–0 against Armenia in a Euro 2022 qualifier on 25 November 2021 in Leuven. The biggest defeat of Belgium women’s national team is 9–1 against Spain in a friendly on 29 February 2004 in Alginet.