24 August 2019 – Banyana Banyana captain Janine van Wyk has signed for Danish side Fortuna Hjorring, joining a list of other national team players already plying their trade overseas – Leandra Smeda and Stephanie Malherbe (both Sweden), Jermaine Seoposenwe and Nothando Vilakazi (Lithuania), Rhoda Mulaudzi (Cyprus), Letago Modiba and Rachel Sebati (Belarus) as well as Regina Mogolola (Serbia).
This is Van Wyk’s second stint abroad as she was on the books of Houston Dash in the USA at the end of 2018.
The JVW FC founder joins a team that will be playing in the UEFA Women’s Champions League – and becomes the first South African woman player to play in Denmark.
“I am incredibly excited to join Fortuna Hjorring, a club that has a great development structures and believes in the growth of women’s football. I can’t wait to get started and contribute to being the best I can be for this amazing team,” said an elated Van Wyk.
It is another accolade for the history-making defender as she led Banyana Banyana in their maiden FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.
She remains the highest capped player – both male and female – on the continent.
Van Wyk is still undergoing rehabilitation following an MCL Sprain she picked up during the COSAFA Cup, but she was still able to fly into Denmark at the beginning of the week to finalise her contract with the team.
Fortuna Hjorring has had a good showing in past competitions, their biggest achievement in European football was reaching the 2002 – 03 UEFA Women’s Cup final where they lost 1–7 on aggregate to Umea IK. In the 2016/17 season they reached their best result since the final in 2003, when they made it to the quarter-finals which they lost on aggregate to Manchester City.
The Hjorring based team is heading into the Round of 32, and have been drawn against Vllaznia on the 11/12 and 25/26 September 2019 in home and away matches respectively.
“Van Wyk’s commitment to Hjorring is a common concern between Fortuna and the Dana Cup Academy. Besides being an active National team player, she runs a soccer academy in Bedfordview. A JVW select team participated in the 2019 Dana Cup and in that connection a relationship was formed between Fortuna, Dana Cup and Janine van Wyk,” said a statement from JVW FC.
“The primary reason for the South African stalwart’s arrival to Hjorring is to be a player, however, the idea is to establish a collaboration with her academy and the Dana Cup. Besides playing on the field, Janine van Wyk and the Dana Cup Academy have built a relationship and look forward to work together in the near future and create benefits for both parties.”
Van Wyk is back in South Africa to continue with her rehabilitation before heading back to Denmark to start her new journey.