Lukas Willen

Lukas Willen spent twelve years in the Club Brugge academy, but a serious hip injury kept him out for nearly a year and he never moved up to the club's reserve side, Club NXT. He had joined Brugge in 2009, after early spells at Gavere-Asper and Deinze. In 2021 he moved to the youth setup at Zulte Waregem, and that move shaped the rest of his career.

He began his senior career with Jong Zulte Waregem, where he made three appearances. In April 2022 he signed his first professional contract with the club, initially until 2024. It was later extended to 2026. By October 2022 he had been named Player of the Month. He went on to captain the side in several matches, in both the Belgian Cup and the league.

The 2024–25 season was the high point. Willen was instrumental as Zulte Waregem won the Belgian First Division B and earned promotion to the Pro League. In 2025–26 he played his 100th match for the club. He finished with 107 official appearances and one goal.

Before his senior breakthrough he had played for Belgium at youth level. He scored against Israel for the Under-17s in September 2019 and won two caps for the Under-20s in friendlies in 2022.

When his contract expired, Willen left on a free transfer on 31 July 2026. He joined the Polish club Pogoń Szczecin and signed a deal until 30 June 2029.