The Big Interview: Lineth Beerensteyn
The Juventus and Netherlands forward has hit form since the World Cup, using her own personal analysis and coaching to unlock the best version of herself in front of goal...
On a personal level, this season couldn’t be going much better for Juventus and Netherlands forward Lineth Beerensteyn.
She’s been in the reckoning as one of the top scorers in Serie A for most of the season and was one of the driving forces for the Dutch in the new UEFA Nations League, finishing the group stage as the top scorer in League A with six goals across six games.
In the decisive final round of games against England and Belgium, the 27-year-old found the net twice in both matches to help her country progress to the finals at the expense of the European Champions.
It’s a far cry from where she found herself in August off the back of a World Cup where she took the brunt of the criticism from both fans and the media for several missed chances in the Netherlands’ quarter-final elimination to Spain.
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“Yeah, after the World Cup it was quite difficult for me personally,” she admits. “The World Cup wasn’t the tournament I expected going in, so that was quite hard, but when the season started I said I had one goal and that was just to focus on this season and focus on Juventus and the national team and just doing what I can.
“I think that’s what I did the last months, and yeah, it went quite well!”
Quite well is somewhat of an understatement, and she’s fought back from disappointment in particular for her national team where she’s had to fill the gap vacated by Vivianne Miedema as the Arsenal striker continues to return towards full fitness.
Often primarily a winger in a Dutch side previously built around Miedema, a combination of long-term injury to the striker, combined with a move to a 3-5-2 by head coach Andries Jonker, meant Beerensteyn was suddenly leading the line, and she’s worked with her own personal analysis coach to improve her form and it’s having the desired effect.
“We analyse every single game, no matter whether it’s Juventus or the national team,” Beerensteyn says. “Every week there are things you can do better and those are the things I am working for during the week, to do the things he is asking me to do differently.
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