After two decades in the women’s game, Wolves forward Destiney Toussaint has drawn the curtain on an outstanding football career.
During a journey which took her from Leicester, around the country, through highs and lows, and ultimately to the heart of Wolves Women, Toussaint announced her retirement following the conclusion of the 2024/25 season – marking the end of an era for one of the Old Gold’s most experienced and admired players.
Fittingly, her final act in gold and black was to score a stunning goal in Wolves’ 6-0 win over Liverpool Feds to bring the season to a close, while picking up the Player of the Match award for another performance that epitomised the 36-year-old's talent and her determination to leave everything on the pitch.
“As you can see, it’s emotional,” she told wolves.co.uk. “I’ve had a great football career. I’ve had some great memories, some highs and lows in football. It’s been a part of my identity, so it’s sad to leave it behind, but I hope I can still be involved in the game in some way.”
The 2024/25 season saw Wolves finish second in the FAWNL Northern Premier Division to undefeated champions Nottingham Forest, but Toussaint was able to round off her season – and her career with a farewell goal to savour.
“It was a good way to finish. I said to the physio before the game that if I get anywhere near the goal today, I’m not passing. Whatever happens after that, I can get shouted at, the season’s ending, but I’m going to take the chance, and today it just fell right. I managed to put in a decent goal, which was a nice thing to end on.
Signing off with a stunning strike 🫡 pic.twitter.com/FetfWedUbt
— Wolves Women FC (@WolvesWomen) May 8, 2025
“But I’m just happy that I can go out with this team, because it's been a good season. We’ve just fallen short again, which is a shame, but we definitely gave it all we could, so we’ll see what the future brings.”
Toussaint’s decision to retire wasn’t made lightly. Far from winding down, she still feels fit, capable, and hungry for the game, which somehow made her choice even more painful.
“It was a very hard decision to make,” she admitted. “It’s been playing on my mind probably since last season and it’s probably even harder making a decision to retire when you can still play. I still feel strong.
“But I think now is the right time. You’ve just got to follow your heart sometimes, and I think now is the time to walk away and see what the future holds.”
Toussaint began her senior career at Leicester City in 2008, and she vividly remembers the early days that laid the foundation for everything to follow – long bus journeys, oversized kits, rough pitches, and the kind of relentless enthusiasm only young footballers know.
“Sometimes I look around at my teammates and I see 17-year-olds, 18-year-olds, and I’m thinking, ‘Gosh, I'm still here’. I’m 15 years older than some of them, so it’s crazy.
“But taking it all the way back to my days at Leicester City, I had some great memories there, where football first got started for me. I remember being picked up by Rehanne Skinner all those years ago, when I started out as a centre mid, and ended up being out wide on the wing, but it’s been great, I’ve loved every second of it and I am really gutted that it’s come to an end.”
After time spent with Oxford United, Aston Villa, London Bees and Birmingham City, Toussaint joined Wolves from Coventry United in 2022 and had a clear mission in her mind – to help elevate the team into the Women’s Championship.
While that dream has ultimately gone unfulfilled, her contribution to the club has been profound, both on and off the pitch.
“It’s difficult to leave, but I came here wanting to help the team, do the best for the team, try and help get the club promoted and push on into this Championship where I played most of my career, but it just wasn’t to be, and we’ve fallen short each season.
“This is my third season here and we’ve either missed out on a couple of points or goal difference, so it’s been quite brutal.
“But I just wanted to come here and work hard, be there for the team, help the younger ones push through and take the club where it deserves to go, and I’ve been able to do it with such good teammates.
“They’re a good group of girls, and I’ll definitely miss them, for sure, and support them in their journeys and whatever’s next for them – whether they stay here or they move on.”
As for the next chapter, Toussaint is content with taking things slowly. With a background in physiotherapy and a strong passion for the game, there are plenty of options open to her.
“That is the question. Who knows? I’m going to take my time. I’m quite a chilled person, so we’ll just see what the future holds. I’ll just take some time to reflect, settle down, spend some time with my friends and family.
“I’ve got my physio, so who knows, it might be as a physio in the game and I can use that, which is good, but I’m quite open minded so we’ll see what happens.”
