The lady who helped lay the foundation of the Dutch Premier League for women, Vera Pauw, is married to her husband, Bert van Lingen.
The two are still profoundly in love after a marriage of three decades. However, Vera and her husband do not have any children.
Firstly, let us look at the prolific career of Vera Pauw, who left a mark in the history of Dutch soccer by breaking several records.
Vera Pauw, born January 18, 1963, started playing soccer with her two brothers on the streets. She is a triplet born alongside her brothers.
Throughout her professional playing career, she played for five clubs; four in her home nation and one in Italy- the first Dutch woman to play abroad.
In addition to this, she is also the first Dutch woman who earned her diploma in professional soccer coaching.
After retiring as a player, she coached the Scottish National Women’s team and managed the Dutch National Women’s team.
As crazy as it sounds, the then World Champions Germany asked Vera’s Netherlands for a practice match, and the game ended with a 0-0 draw.
Fast forward to 2023, Pauw has brought abundant experience to Ireland’s team, leading the Irish women’s team to their first-ever major tournament- the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Moreover, Pauw achieved the pinnacle of success after she was named the RTE Sports Manager of the Year at the 2022 RTE Sports Award, becoming the first female to lift the award.
Vera Pauw Husband Bert van Lingen: Married Life And Kids
Vera Pauw has been married to Ber van Lingen, 17 years older than her, for three decades.
Not much is known about Vera and Bert’s marriage. Moreover, the couple isn’t parents to any children.
Bert van Lingen was born in Delft, Netherlands, on December 28, 1945.
He was a Dutch professional soccer coach who completed two stints in charge of the Dutch Women’s National Soccer Team.
While he served as the coach for the Dutch soccer team, Pauw competed as a player for the team.
After leaving the women’s team in 1991, van Lingen became an acolyte.
Nonetheless, both of them have been very supportive of one another.
Recently, Vera even said that her husband insisted that she take the job to coach the Irish team.
She said, “He was the one who told me to come to Ireland because he could see a sparkle in my eyes when I got offered the job.”
A Glance Into Ireland’s Journey: Women World Cup 2023
After a remarkable preceding season in charge of Ireland, she guided her team to the World Cup in Australia/New Zealand.
Additionally, the 61-year-old received huge praise for helping Ireland become one of the toughest sides to any opponents.
Vera’s team faced the co-host nation, Australia, in their opening game.
Despite going toe-to-toe against the Matildas, they lost the game 1-0 after giving away a sloppy second-half penalty.
While preparation for their second game against Canada is already underway, Vera might be eying to bag a win.
Nonetheless, she can reflect on a truly incredible year, knowing she made history.
However, we’re sure that Vera’s team will bounce back stronger than ever and give their everything in the games to follow.
