1. Overview
Lineth Beerensteyn, born on October 11, 1996, is a prominent Dutch professional footballer who plays as a forward for Frauen-Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg and the Netherlands national team. Throughout her career, Beerensteyn has been a dynamic presence on the field, contributing significantly to both her club teams and the national squad. Her journey began at ADO Den Haag, followed by stints at FC Twente, Bayern Munich, and Juventus, culminating in her current role at VfL Wolfsburg. On the international stage, she has represented the Netherlands across various youth levels, including winning the UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship in 2014, before becoming a key player for the senior national team, participating in major tournaments such as the UEFA Women's Euro 2017 (which the Netherlands won), the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup (where they reached the final), the 2020 Olympic Games, and the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. Her consistent performance and significant achievements highlight her dedication and impact on women's football, serving as an inspiring figure within the sport and for her community.
2. Life
Lineth Beerensteyn's life has been deeply rooted in football from an early age, shaped by her personal background and cultural heritage.
2.1. Birth and Personal Background
Lineth Enid Fabienne Beerensteyn was born on October 11, 1996, in the Netherlands. She began her football journey in Delft, a city not far from her birthplace, initially playing with the local club Delfia Hollandia Combinatie. Beerensteyn is of Surinamese descent, a heritage that forms an important part of her personal identity.
3. Club Career
Lineth Beerensteyn has had a dynamic club career, playing for several prominent teams in the Netherlands, Germany, and Italy, contributing to various league successes and cup victories.
3.1. ADO Den Haag
In 2011, Beerensteyn transitioned to the youth academy of ADO Den Haag. Her talent quickly became apparent, leading to her promotion to the first team just a year later. She made her league debut for ADO Den Haag against Heerenveen on September 7, 2012. Her first league goal came on December 14, 2012, in a match against Utrecht, where she scored in the 22nd minute. Beerensteyn showcased her scoring prowess by netting hat-tricks against PEC Zwolle on February 27, 2015, and again on November 6, 2015. Over four seasons, including three in the BeNe League, she played 85 league games, scoring 77 goals. During her tenure with the club, she also contributed to winning the KNVB Women's Cup in the 2012-13 season and was part of the team that finished as runner-up in the BeNe Super Cup in 2012-13.
3.2. FC Twente
For the 2016-17 season, Lineth Beerensteyn transferred to FC Twente, a rival club in the league. She made her league debut for FC Twente against Ajax on September 2, 2016. Her first goal for the club was scored on September 23, 2016, in the 66th minute against PSV. In the Eredivisie, she appeared in 21 league games, scoring eight goals. She also played three matches in the season's championship round, where she added one more goal.
3.3. Bayern Munich
On May 31, 2017, Beerensteyn made a significant move to the Frauen-Bundesliga club Bayern Munich, signing a three-year contract that became active on July 1. She made an impactful league debut for Bayern Munich on September 24, 2017, during the third matchday of the Bundesliga season. In a 2-0 home victory against newly promoted 1. FC Köln, she came on as a substitute for Jill Roord in the 62nd minute and scored in the 90th minute, securing the win. During her time with Bayern Munich, she was a part of the squad that won the Frauen-Bundesliga title in the 2020-21 season.
3.4. Juventus
On June 21, 2022, Lineth Beerensteyn embarked on a new challenge, joining Serie A club Juventus with a contract extending until June 30, 2025. She immediately made her mark, scoring two goals in her league debut for Juventus against Como on August 27, 2022, finding the net in the 51st and 86th minutes. With Juventus, she successfully qualified for the group stage of the 2022-23 UEFA Women's Champions League. However, despite their efforts, the team missed out on the quarter-finals after a goalless draw in their final group match against record winners Olympique Lyon. During her Champions League campaign with Juventus, she appeared in nine games and scored two goals. Beerensteyn concluded her time at Juventus at the end of the 2023-24 season, having accumulated 22 goals in 66 appearances for the Italian club.
3.5. VfL Wolfsburg
On June 17, 2024, it was officially announced that Beerensteyn would return to the Frauen-Bundesliga, joining VfL Wolfsburg on a free transfer. Her two-year contract with the club commenced on July 1, 2024, signaling a new chapter in her club career and establishing her as a key player for Wolfsburg in the upcoming seasons.
4. International Career
Lineth Beerensteyn has been a consistent presence in the Netherlands national football setup, from her youth days to becoming a crucial player for the senior team in major international tournaments.
4.1. Youth National Team
Beerensteyn began her international career in 2011, making her debut for the Netherlands youth national team at the U-15 level, where she played two international matches. From 2012 to 2016, she continued to represent her country across various age groups, including the U-16, U-17, and U-19 national teams. A significant achievement in her youth career was her participation in the 2014 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship held in Norway from July 15 to 27, 2014. Her team emerged victorious, claiming the European championship title for the first time in the nation's history, marking a pivotal moment in her development as a player.
4.2. Senior National Team
Lineth Beerensteyn made her senior national team debut on June 4, 2016, in Waalwijk, in a friendly match against South Africa, which the Netherlands won 1-0. She entered the game as a substitute for Daniëlle van de Donk in the 78th minute. Her first senior international goal came on October 20, 2016, in Livingston, Scotland, during a 7-0 friendly victory against the Scottish national team, where she scored the second goal of the match in the 45th minute.
Beerensteyn was part of the squad for the UEFA Women's Euro 2017, hosted in her home country. The tournament concluded with her team's historic victory, securing the European championship title. She made two short appearances in the group stage matches and another brief appearance in the quarter-finals against Sweden. Following this triumph, the entire team was honored by then Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Minister of Sport Edith Schippers, and all team members were made Knights of the Order of Orange-Nassau, recognizing their significant national contribution.
She scored a goal at the 2018 Algarve Cup against Japan on February 28, 2018, contributing to a 6-2 victory. The Netherlands shared the title with Sweden due to the final match being canceled because of a flooded pitch.
At the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, Beerensteyn played in all seven of the Netherlands' matches, making five substitute appearances. She scored the crucial winning goal in the third group stage game against Canada. The Dutch national team made history by reaching the World Cup final for the first time, though they ultimately lost 2-0 to the defending champions, the USA.
Beerensteyn was also selected for the national team squad for the 2020 Olympic football tournament, which was postponed to July 21 to August 7, 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She featured in all three group stage matches, scoring three goals, and also played in the quarter-finals against the world champions USA, a match the Netherlands unfortunately lost in a penalty shootout.
In the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification, she played five times and scored two goals, finding the net against Cyprus on April 8, 2022, and against Belarus on June 28, 2022. On May 31, 2022, she was nominated for the UEFA Women's Euro 2022. At the European Championship, she played in all three group matches and in the quarter-finals, where the Netherlands were eliminated by France in extra time.
She was nominated for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup squad on June 30, 2023. She appeared in all five of her team's matches at the tournament, scoring one goal. The Netherlands were eliminated in the quarter-finals after extra time against Spain. Her international goal-scoring contributions continued in the 2023-24 UEFA Women's Nations League, where she scored two goals against Scotland on October 27, 2023, two goals against England on December 1, 2023, and two goals against Belgium on December 5, 2023. She has also scored in the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying, against Norway on April 9, 2024, and twice against Finland on May 31 and June 4, 2024.
5. Career Statistics
Detailed statistics on Lineth Beerensteyn's international appearances and goal-scoring records.
5.1. International Goals
Scores and results list the Netherlands' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Beerensteyn goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 October 2016 | Tony Macaroni Arena, Livingston, Scotland | Scotland | 2-0 | 7-0 | Friendly | 
| 2 | 20 January 2017 | Pinatar Arena, San Pedro del Pinatar, Spain | Romania | 1-1 | 7-1 | |
| 3 | 24 January 2017 | Russia | 3-0 | 4-0 | ||
| 4 | 28 February 2018 | Bela Vista Municipal Stadium, Parchal, Portugal | Japan | 2-0 | 6-2 | 2018 Algarve Cup | 
| 5 | 10 April 2018 | Tallaght Stadium, Dublin, Republic of Ireland | Republic of Ireland | 1-0 | 2-0 | 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification | 
| 6 | 8 June 2018 | Shamrock Park, Portadown, Northern Ireland | Northern Ireland | 1-0 | 5-0 | |
| 7 | 5 October 2018 | Rat Verlegh Stadion, Breda, Netherlands | Denmark | 1-0 | 2-0 | 2019 FIFA World Cup qualifier | 
| 8 | 9 October 2018 | Viborg Stadium, Viborg, Denmark | Denmark | 1-0 | 2-0 | |
| 9 | 2-0 | |||||
| 10 | 20 June 2019 | Stade Auguste-Delaune, Reims, France | Canada | 2-1 | 2-1 | 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup | 
| 11 | 4 October 2019 | Mestni Stadion, Slovenia | Slovenia | 2-0 | 4-2 | UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying | 
| 12 | 13 April 2021 | De Goffert, Nijmegen, Netherlands | Australia | 4-0 | 5-0 | Friendly | 
| 13 | 21 July 2021 | Miyagi Stadium, Rifu, Japan | Zambia | 8-1 | 10-3 | 2020 Olympic Games | 
| 14 | 27 July 2021 | Nissan Stadium, Yokohama, Japan | China | 2-1 | 8-2 | |
| 15 | 3-1 | |||||
| 16 | 16 February 2022 | Stade Michel d'Ornano, Caen, France | Brazil | 1-0 | 1-0 | 2022 Tournoi de France | 
| 17 | 22 February 2022 | France | 2-1 | 3-1 | ||
| 18 | 8 April 2022 | Euroborg, Groningen, Netherlands | Cyprus | 6-0 | 12-0 | 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification | 
| 19 | 12 April 2022 | ADO Den Haag Stadium, The Hague, Netherlands | South Africa | 2-1 | 5-1 | Friendly | 
| 20 | 28 June 2022 | De Grolsch Veste, Enschede, Netherlands | Belarus | 3-0 | 3-0 | 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification | 
| 21 | 15 November 2022 | MAC³PARK Stadion, Zwolle, Netherlands | Denmark | 2-0 | 2-0 | Friendly | 
| 22 | 21 February 2023 | National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Ta' Qali, Malta | Austria | 1-0 | 4-0 | |
| 23 | 3-0 | |||||
| 24 | 11 April 2023 | Sparta Stadion Het Kasteel, Rotterdam, Netherlands | Poland | 2-1 | 4-1 | |
| 25 | 6 August 2023 | Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney, Australia | South Africa | 2-0 | 2-0 | 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup | 
| 26 | 27 October 2023 | Goffertstadion, Nijmegen, Netherlands | Scotland | 3-0 | 4-0 | 2023-24 UEFA Women's Nations League | 
| 27 | 4-0 | |||||
| 28 | 1 December 2023 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | England | 1-0 | 2-3 | |
| 29 | 2-0 | |||||
| 30 | 5 December 2023 | Koning Willem II Stadion, Tilburg, Netherlands | Belgium | 1-0 | 4-0 | |
| 31 | 2-0 | |||||
| 32 | 9 April 2024 | Rat Verlegh Stadion, Breda, Netherlands | Norway | 1-0 | 1-0 | UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying | 
| 33 | 31 May 2024 | Sparta Stadion Het Kasteel, Rotterdam, Netherlands | Finland | 1-0 | 1-0 | |
| 34 | 4 June 2024 | Tammelan Stadion, Tampere, Finland | Finland | 1-0 | 1-1 | |
| 35 | 29 November 2024 | Sparta Stadion Het Kasteel, Rotterdam, Netherlands | China | 3-1 | 4-1 | Friendly | 
| 36 | 21 February 2025 | Rat Verlegh Stadion, Breda, Netherlands | Germany | 1-0 | 2-2 | 2025 UEFA Women's Nations League | 
| 37 | 2-2 | 
6. Honours
Lineth Beerensteyn has garnered numerous honours throughout her professional career, both at the club and international levels, in addition to receiving individual recognition for her contributions.
6.1. Club Honours
Beerensteyn's club successes include:
- ADO Den Haag- KNVB Women's Cup: 2012-13
- BeNe Super Cup runner-up: 2012-13
 
- Bayern Munich- Frauen-Bundesliga: 2020-21
 
6.2. International Honours
Her achievements with the national teams are:
- Netherlands U19- UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship: 2014
 
- Netherlands- UEFA European Women's Championship: 2017
- Algarve Cup: 2018 (shared title)
- FIFA Women's World Cup runner-up: 2019
 
6.3. Individual Honours
In recognition of her contributions, Beerensteyn has received:
- Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau: 2017
7. Influence
Lineth Beerensteyn's career extends beyond her impressive statistics and honours, positioning her as a significant figure in the development and growing visibility of women's football. As a talented and determined forward, she embodies the progressive strides made in professional women's sports. Her consistent performance at top-tier clubs in major European leagues and her crucial role in the successful Dutch national team contribute to increasing the sport's appeal and inspiring younger generations, particularly girls, to pursue their athletic dreams. Her participation in major tournaments like the UEFA Women's Euro and the FIFA Women's World Cup has helped elevate the profile of women's football globally, fostering greater investment and public interest. Furthermore, as an athlete of Surinamese descent representing the Netherlands, Beerensteyn serves as an important role model, promoting diversity and inclusion within sports. Her individual recognition, such as being made a Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau, signifies not only her athletic excellence but also her broader positive impact on Dutch society, underscoring the growing societal value placed on the achievements of female athletes.