Inside the Life of Steven Berghuis: Talent, Family, and Football Success

The full story of Steven Berghuis is a journey from a young boy with a big dream of playing for the Netherlands to a professional footballer making his mark on the world stage. Berghuis didn’t acquire his football talent by chance; it was a gift from his father, Frank Berghuis. This talent also runs in the family, as Steven’s brother, Tristan, once had trials with Chelsea FC.

In this biography, we’ll explore not only Berghuis’s career but also his personal life, including his relationship with Nadine Bamberger, the daughter of a billionaire. You’ll learn about his resilience and determination, especially how he refused to let an English football club derail his vision for a successful career. Despite his initial happiness with the club, something went awry, and we’ll dive into those details in this account.

Let’s dive right into the story of the Dutch football genius who, as a youngster, was a huge fan of Oranje Holland. 

Preamble:

We start Steven Berghuis’s story by exploring the key events from his childhood and early life. This biography covers his early years, including details about his parents (Frank Berghuis and his mother), his family background, his brother Tristan, his partner Nadine Bamberger, and his daughter Joy Berghuis.

To spark your interest in Steven Berghuis’s life story, we’ve prepared a gallery that showcases his journey from boyhood to his rise to fame. This glimpse into his early years highlights just how far he has come in his career.

Steven Berghuis Childhood Story:

To kick off Steven Berghuis’s biography, let’s start with his background. Born on December 19, 1991, in Apeldoorn, a city in Gelderland province, Netherlands, Steven is the son of Frank Berghuis and his less publicly known mother.

Apeldoorn is both a municipality and a city, situated in the heart of the Netherlands. Steven has a brother, and the two were raised by their parents in a supportive family environment.

Now, let’s take a closer look at one of Steven Berghuis’s parents. You might wonder if there are any striking similarities between Steven and his look-alike father.

Growing-Up:

The town of Apeldoorn was where the footballer and his sibling (a brother named Tristan Berghuis) spent their childhood days. In fact, Steven Berghuis’ parents and most family members still live in this city. Tristan Berghuis, as mentioned earlier, is his younger brother.

Frank Berghuis genetically gifted Steven and his younger sibling the spirit of football. Both Tristan and Steven inherited their Dad’s soccer gene.

As children, their dreams of following their Dad’s sporting footsteps weren’t seen as a passing fantasy. Young Stev dreamt more.

Drawing a Dutch flag on her son’s face was among the first bonds of emotional attachment Steven Berghuis’ Mum built with her son.

The Youngster, a big fan of the Oranje Holland, could keep the painted flag on his face all day unless when he had to go to school.

Young Steven, as a boy, watched soccer, played it on local fields and dreamt of representing his country.

But little did Berghuis know his country’s 2022 FIFA World Cup glory would rest heavily on his shoulders – about two decades from the day his Mum painted his face.

Steven Berghuis Early Life:

The talent of the young boy with a big dream (as people described him) was so difficult to ignore.

Early on, his unique football qualities received instant support from his Dad who made sure he joined a team in the neighbourhood. Tristan, his brother, also joined similar teams (years later).

Steven Berghuis Family Background:

Starting off, his Dad, who goes by the nickname Pico, operated a comfortable household.  In other words, Steven Berghuis’ family wasn’t the super-rich type.

Both of his parents raised him and his younger brother (Tristan) in a comfortable upper-middle-class family setting.

The Dutch winger did not get the most of his football qualities from a stranger. His Father, Frank Berghuis, genetically transferred the sporting virus to his two sons – Steven and Tristan. Pictured below, Pico (a left-winger) played mostly for clubs in the Netherlands.

Aside from PSV, Steven Berghuis’ Dad also made a name for himself with Galatasaray. The Turkish club and Lommel (a Belgium club) were the two foreign teams he played for.

Watch this video to understand Frank Berghuis’ family better. What a positive influence he has on his sons.

Steven Berghuis Family Origin:

To start with, the footballer has Dutch nationality because he was born in the Netherlands, and his parents are both from a European country.

Apeldoorn, where Steven Berghuis’ family comes from, is a 1 hour 10 minutes drive away from Amsterdam (the Dutch capital).

Located in the heart of the Netherlands, Steven’s hometown is one of the friendliest places to live in the country.

Unfortunately, Apeldoorn has recently made headlines for the wrong reasons – following the 2009 attack on the Dutch royal family. We’ll discuss this later in the Bio.

Steven Berghuis Ethnicity:

Research conducted to determine the origins of his grandparents suggests the footballer is a Netherlander.

Put simply, Steven Berghuis is part of the ‘Dutch people’ ethnic group. People connected to his ancestry comprise 80% of the total population of the Netherlands.

Steven Berghuis Education:

In the Netherlands, a compulsory Schooling Act applies to kids starting from the age of 5.

For this reason, it is likely that he and his brother (Tristan) attended a Dutch school in his city. In fact, Steven Berghuis attended the Royal School Community (KSG) in Apeldoorn.

As the DPG Media Group report says, Steven got the best grades with two fingers in his nose.

This adage means he was actually the best in his class, and his good grades came with little effort. By implication, the Royal School Community had him as their best pupil.

Steven Berghuis Biography – Football Story:

The youngster (pictured below) took his first steps as a soccer player in his hometown.

At that time (in the late 1990s), his Dad, Frank, was in the twilight stages of his playing career. Steven Berghuis’ parents approved their son’s enrolment with Vitesse/AGOVV.

Like his father (Frank), young Steven started playing football as a left-footed winger. He was the best left-winger for his team through the early stages of his career.

In the year 2002. Steven’s little brother, Tristan Berghuis (four years his junior), joined him at AGOVV Apeldoorn Youth.

Before calling himself a professional footballer, Steven Berghuis journeyed through other youth academy setups.

Notably among them were WSV Apeldoorn (2007–2008), Go Ahead Eagles (2008–2009) and Twente (2009 – 2011). Twente was the last academy he attended.

Journey to Fame:

The son of Pico had a good start to life as a professional footballer. It happened shortly after he transferred to AZ in 2012. After scoring 20 goals for the club, Berghuis got lots of interest abroad. Watford, a then mid-table Premier League club, signed him in July 2015.

In 2015, Steven left his parents, family and country for the first long time. A Watford, he played alongside the likes of Abdoulaye Doucoure, Odion Ighalo, Nathan Ake, Troy Deeney, etc. Competition for first-team places saw him unable to secure a place in the Watford FC first team.

Sánchez Flores, the then coach of Watford, once expressed his frustrations with the Dutch. He wasn’t pleased with Berghuis’ performances despite having high expectations of him. Before the 16–17 season, Watford’s first-team opportunities became further limited for Berghuis.

Going back to his country:

The Gelderland native, in 2016, accepted that playing in England doesn’t suit his style. With the intention to see through his contract, Berghuis pushed for a loan transfer back to his country.

In 2016, Feyenoord accepted him, and Steven (while feeling nostalgic) happily posted this photo after he joined them.

In the words of Steven Berghuis,

This picture was taken years ago at a game between my amateur club WSV Apeldoorn and my current club, Feyenoord Rotterdam.
I was 15 years old, and the day before, I heard I was part of the first team to play against a top team like Feyenoord.
We lost that match by 1-4, I played 15 minutes and scored the only goal. Upon scoring, I celebrated as if it was the Champions League final.
Funny to look back and realise I’m playing for Feyenoord now and being the captain of this club… Dream big for me.

Not only did Steven Berghuis become Feyenoord’s captain. He cemented his legendary status for the Dutch club. In fact, his career rejuvenation with Feyenoord proved Watford wrong. We’ll tell you about Steven’s achievement with this Dutch club in the next section of his life story.

Road to Fame Story:

Did you know?… He was part of Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s unknown Feyenoord side who conquered Ajax to win the 2016/2017 Eredivisie. Let’s not forget that Tyrell Malacia and Robin van Persie joined Steven Berghuis to help Feyenoord win the KNVB Cup the next season – (2017 – 2018).

Steven Berghuis’ success story didn’t end there. He (a true leader) led his Feyenoord side to win the Johan Cruyff Shield in 2017 and 2018.

Because of Steven Berghuis’ continuous rise in Dutch football, a jealous Ajax muscled their way to steal him from Feyenoord.

In what we refer to as the Most Controversial Transfer In Eredivisie History, Ajax knew they had hurt Feyenoord fans. These fans went mad over the sale of their talisman and skipper. In fact, there were online videos of Feyenoord fans burning Steven Berghuis’ shirt and accusing him of betrayal.

The controversy of Berghuis’ transfer to a rival is like that of Luis Enrique (Real Madrid to Barca), Carlos Tevez (Man United to City), and Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal to City). The move caused controversy in the Netherlands because of the rivalry between the two clubs.

To prevent violence, away (Ajax and Feyenoord) fans were not allowed at matches between themselves. With Ajax, Berghuis went on to enjoy a formidable assist partnership with Dusan Tadic and Ryan Gravenberch.

He, alongside Antony, Dusan Tadic and Jurrien Timber, became Ajax’s top performer in the 2021/2022 season. With the Dutch giants, Steve won these honours under Erik ten Hag‘s command.

Dutch National Team Rise:

Although few fans noticed, Berghuis has actually been a member of the Dutch national team since 2016. The footballer and his family were on holiday in New York when he first received an invitation from national coach Danny Blind (the father of Daley Blind).

At the time of writing Steven Berghuis’ Biography, he has risen so high to become one of the first names in Louis van Gaal’s Dutch setup. The son, Frank Berghuis, hopes to have a blissful 2022 FIFA World and the best twilight career years. The rest, as we say, is history.

Steven Berghuis Girlfriend – Nadine Bamberger:

To start with, she is the stunning long-term partner of the Dutch Baller. Nadine Bamberger is one of the most private Football WAGs you could find around. She is a devoted mother and a great partner who often shields her social media account from the public eye.

What does Nadine Bamberger do for a living?

In the course of this research, we were able to unravel a few things about the lady people call Steven Berghuis’ wife. Starting off, Nadine Bamberger comes from a Billionaire family. Just like her partner, she is an Athlete. Did you know?… Nadine ran at the 2016 New York Marathon.

About Nadine Bamberger’s Family:

Berghuis is dating a Billionaire’s daughter. Did you know?… Nadine Bamberger was born to her rich parents, Lesley Bamberger (her Dad) and Tanja Eugenie van Leuven (her Mum).

Steven Berghuis’ partner grew up alongside her two siblings, who go by the names Maxime and Fabienne Bamberger. Lesley, their Dad (pictured below), is one of the world’s richest property moguls.

Lesley Bamberger is proud to have a son-in-law in Steven Berghuis. This man is a Dutch billionaire businessman who owns Kroonenberg Groep. This is a privately held real estate company founded by Lesley Bamberger’s grandfather, Jacob Kroonenberg.

When did they (Nadine Bamberger and Steven Berghuis) start dating?

Nadine Bamberger became Steven Berghuis’ girlfriend as far back as 2012. At that time, he played his football with AZ Alkmaar. From that year right until the moment Steven made his name in soccer, things have always been serious between these two lovebirds.

Steven Berghuis Children with Nadine Bamberger:

The union between the two couples became blessed with a child who was born on the 21st day of February 2019. Nadine and Steven (that day) celebrated the birth of their daughter, whom they named Joy Berghuis. Behold, one of those father-daughter bonding moments.

Personal Life:

Away from what he does on the pitch, who is Steven Berghuis?

First things first, the Duch professional footballer is someone who is very optimistic about life, full of enthusiasm, and always ready for changes. More so, Berghuis has the ability to transform his visions and thoughts into concrete actions – a reason for his career success.

On another note, Steven is someone who places lots of his attention on matters regarding his family. He is a strong man, a great man of wisdom who understands that his number one priority is his family. Joy Berghuis, his daughter, may outgrow his lap but never his heart.

LifeStyle:

The Netherlands attacking midfielder isn’t the type who uses his social media to showcase his football wealth. In fact, he doesn’t brag that he has a Billionaire’s daughter (the person of Nadine Bamberger) as his partner. And Nadine herself didn’t come into Steven’s life because of money. The above explanation are signs of Steven Berghuis’ humble lifestyle.

Steven Berghuis Car:

The former Watford speedster is a man who never speeds away from his fans. A very receptive Steven Berghuis (as seen inside his car) is someone who gives plenty of time to his fans. Whether it is photographs or autographs, Stevie always displays his unadulterated personality.

Steven Berghuis Family Life:

In the great footballing household of the Dutch attacking midfielder, love is the oil that eases all friction. This section of Steven Berghuis’ Bio tells you more about his parents and other family members. So, without further ado, let’s begin.

About Steven Berghuis Father:

Frank ‘Pico’ Berghuis was born on the 2nd of May 1967 in Nunspeet, a Dutch town. He was 15 years old when he (very young and very early) left Apeldoorn to attend PSV boarding school. At that time, Football was all that mattered to Steven Berghuis’ Dad. And Paco saw his dream come true.

During Frank ‘Pico’ Berghuis’ playing career, he scored a total of 70 goals (Wikipedia report) for nine different clubs. In the course of his career, the Left-winger made one international appearance (in 1989) for the Netherlands national team.

Steven Berghuis’ Dad’s only international match was against Brazil. In that match, he was more concerned more with chasing after his opponent, Jorginho. Although it was nice for Paco to have a national team experience, it wasn’t a great success.

Did you know?… Frank ‘Pico’ Berghuis’ injury during his playing days ruined his career and played tricks on him. It was a lifestyle that stood in his way of a breakthrough. Frank, in his early years, had plenty of hair like Gabriel Batistuta (Cenk Tosun‘s idol). At some point, he partied a lot, and there were too many shows and playing discos.

Frank earned the nickname ‘Pico’ during his VVV playing days. He owes the name Pico to trainer Jan Reker. The trainer (back then) did not want a second Frank in addition to Frank Verbeek in his team. Because of that, he told Berghuis Dad… “I call you the name Pico,” And that was how he got the nickname.

About Steven Berghuis Mother:

The woman who gave birth to the Dutch and his brother, Tristan, has made efforts to avoid the public eyes. Although a lack of documentation exists about Steven Berghuis’ Mum, we sure know she (together with Frank) has been instrumental to the success of the boys.

About Steven Berghuis Brother:

Tristan was born a day before Saint Valentine’s day, the 13th of February, 1996. The young brother of Steven Berghuis is five years younger. Tristan Berghuis followed in the footsteps of his Dad and older brother. PSV was the biggest club Steven’s brother ever played for.

Unlike his Dad and Big brother, Tristan Berghuis had a less satisfactory career. The Dutch footballer had his last playing career with SV Schalkhaar (an amateur football club from the Dutch village of Schalkhaar). Following that, Tristan Berghuis decided he would be a coach.

Steven Berghuis’ brother went on to acquire his UEFA A coaching licence. On the 1st day of July 2021, he got his first job as a manager of the Go Ahead Eagles U18 team. This is a Dutch professional football club from the city of Deventer. Tristan’s contract runs until June 2022.

Untold Facts

In the final phase of Steven Berghuis’ Biography, we’ll reveal more information you might not know about him. Now, without further ado, let’s begin.

The tragedy of his hometown:

Steven Berghuis’ parents, as well as those who lived in Apeldoorn, once felt disappointed about the sad events which once happened in their city.

That sad event is the 2009 attack on the Dutch royal family. What happened was a Vehicle ramming attack and attempted regicide, which left a total of eight people dead.

On that day, a man drove his car at high speed into an Apeldoorn parade, which comprised several high-profile figures. Top personalities there include Queen Beatrix, Prince Willem-Alexander, and other members of the royal family.

Among the eight persons who died were those lining the street watching the parade, including the attacker. Watch the video.

Steven Berghuis Net Worth:

Key United is the agent company that represents the Apeldoorn native. The sum of agreed contract bonuses, salaries, and endorsement deals makes up the wealth this agency has gathered for Steven. As of 2024, Steven Berghuis’ Net worth is placed at approximately €12.5 million.

Comparing his Salary to the Average Dutch Citizen:

Where Steven Berghuis’ family comes from, the citizen makes roughly 36.5 thousand euros per year. Did you know?… such an average Dutch citizen would need a lifetime of 82 years to make Berghuis’ annual salary with Ajax.

Steven Berghuis Profile:

The Dutch join the likes of Arnaut Danjuma and Xavi Simons, who are blessed with skill and movement stats. Steven Berghuis is perfect in these areas (he is well above the 50 average). In fact, he (at 29) only lacks two things in FIFA: heading accuracy and interception.

Steven Berghuis Religion:

The fact that his first name is Biblically inclined suggests he is likely a Christian. When it comes to religious matters, Steven Berghuis appears to be less vocal. The Athlete and his family prefer to make their religious beliefs and practices private (away from social media).

EndNote:

Steven came to the world on the 19th day of December 1991 to his father, Frank Berghuis, and Mother (Mrs Berghuis) in Apeldoorn, Netherlands.

The Dutch superstar grew up with a brother who goes by the name Tristan Berghuis. Steve’s Dad (Frank) is a retired footballer.

Regarding his education, Steven Berghuis’ parents (early on) made him and Tristan attend the Royal School Community (KSG) in Apeldoorn. Young Steven was very intelligent while in school. Despite good grades at school, he wanted to follow in his Dad’s soccer footsteps.

It was hard for Frank Berghuis to deal with retirement from his career. To ensure football continues to live with the Berghuis family, Frank decided to commit his two sons (Steven and Tristan) to the beautiful game. Both Berghuis brothers – Steven and Tristan, accepted to start a career.

Steven and his brother Tristan took their first steps with Vitesse/AGOVV, their hometown club. During his youthful years, Young Steven journeyed through the academies of WSV Apeldoorn, Go Ahead Eagles and Twente before he became a professional football player.

Nadine Bamberger found Steven Berghuis in his early senior career years. Steven Berghuis’ wife is the daughter of Lesley Bamberger, a billionaire and one of the world’s richest real estate moguls. Together, both Nadine and Steven have a daughter named Joy Berghuis.

Following his early career rise with AZ, Watford signed Steven. Sadly, things did turn out well in England.

The Dutch footballer went to Feyenoord and, later, Ajax – the clubs he made a name for himself. Steven Berghuis hopes to have a successful 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Appreciation Note:

Esteemed readers, thank you for taking the time to read our version of Steven Berghuis’ Biography. Our team cares about accuracy and fairness in our constant routine to deliver you Dutch Footballers’ Biographies. Also, the Life stories of European football players.

Kindly reach us (via comments) if you notice anything that doesn’t look right as you read Steven Berghuis’ Bio. Don’t forget to stay tuned for more Dutch soccer stories. On a final note, we would like to hear your views (via comments) about Steven Berghuis and his marvellous story.