Nico Hansen’s Family: Girlfriend, Children, Parents and Siblings

Last Updated on September 21, 2026 by Mike

Nico Hansen, whose full name is Nicolas Defreitas-Hansen, is an American-born goalkeeper with Danish and Brazilian family roots. Born on July 10, 2001, in Southwest Ranches, Florida, Hansen developed at Weston FC before moving to England as a teenager to join Everton’s academy. His career later took him to Swansea City, Atherton Collieries, Houston Dynamo 2 and the Colorado Rapids.

Family has played an important role throughout Hansen’s journey. His father, Rick Hansen, is Danish, while his mother, Vanessa Defreitas-Hansen, is Brazilian. His older brother, Luca Defreitas-Hansen, is also a footballer and was directly involved in the circumstances that helped Nico receive his first opportunity with Everton. Here is what is publicly known about Nico Hansen’s girlfriend, children, parents and siblings.

Does Nico Hansen Have a Girlfriend?

As of now, Nico Hansen has not publicly confirmed a girlfriend. Reliable sports publications and official club profiles do not identify a current romantic partner, and Hansen appears to keep that part of his personal life away from the media.

Most interviews and articles about him concentrate on his football journey, particularly his move from Florida to Everton at a young age, his years in England and his eventual return to the United States.

Without a direct statement from Hansen or a reliable publication confirming a relationship, it would be inappropriate to identify someone as his girlfriend based only on social-media appearances or speculation.

Does Nico Hansen Have Children?

There is no reliable public information indicating that Nico Hansen has children. As of now, no established sports outlet, club biography or interview with the goalkeeper has reported that he is a father.

Hansen has generally maintained a private personal life despite his increased visibility since reaching Major League Soccer. Consequently, publicly available information about him remains focused primarily on football and his immediate family background.

Who Are Nico Hansen’s Parents?

Nico Hansen was born to Rick Hansen and Vanessa Defreitas-Hansen. His multicultural family background has been particularly significant in his football career because his father is from Denmark and his mother is from Brazil.

Growing up in South Florida, Nico and his older brother Luca were exposed to competitive sports at an early age. Their parents supported both boys as they played soccer and baseball before eventually concentrating more heavily on football.

Nico Hansen’s Father: Rick Hansen

Nico Hansen’s father is Rick Hansen, who is originally from Denmark. Rick played an especially important role in one of the defining moments of Nico’s early football career.

In 2014, Nico’s older brother Luca was competing with Weston FC when an Everton scout noticed him and offered him an opportunity to attend a trial in England. Rick told the scout that he also had a younger son, Nico, who was a talented goalkeeper and asked whether Nico could participate in the trial as well.

The request proved crucial. Nico and Luca traveled to Liverpool for their Everton trials in February 2015. Although Luca ultimately did not join Everton, Nico impressed the club and remained on its radar. The young goalkeeper continued developing in the United States before eventually moving permanently to Everton’s academy in 2017.

Rick’s intervention therefore helped create an opportunity that became a major turning point in Nico’s career. Hansen later progressed through Everton’s youth setup and signed his first professional contract with the Premier League club in 2019.

Away from football, Rick works in the real-estate industry in South Florida. Public professional profiles identify him as part of Hansen Realtors alongside his wife, Vanessa, with the couple specializing in the Weston and wider South Florida property market.

Nico Hansen’s Mother: Vanessa Defreitas-Hansen

Nico Hansen’s mother is Vanessa Defreitas-Hansen. She is originally from Brazil, giving Nico his Brazilian heritage alongside the Danish background inherited from his father.

The family’s international background helped shape Nico’s outlook as his football career became increasingly global. He was born and developed as a player in the United States before moving to England as a teenager, while his Danish ancestry also made him eligible to represent Denmark internationally.

Vanessa and Rick supported Nico’s decision to leave home at only 16 years old and pursue his development at Everton. Hansen acknowledged that living far from his family was difficult, but his parents understood his passion for the game and supported the opportunity.

Vanessa also has a career in real estate. Professional profiles describe her as an experienced South Florida real-estate professional, working alongside Rick through Hansen Realtors. Her professional biography also reflects her Brazilian background and international experience.

Having parents with connections to different countries helped give Nico a particularly diverse upbringing. He was born in the United States to a Danish father and Brazilian mother, eventually representing both the United States and Denmark at youth international level.

Nico Hansen’s Siblings

Nico Hansen has one publicly documented sibling, his older brother Luca Defreitas-Hansen. Luca has been a particularly influential figure in Nico’s life because the brothers grew up playing sports together and later shared parts of their football careers in England.

Luca Defreitas-Hansen

Luca Defreitas-Hansen was born on May 11, 1999, making him approximately two years older than Nico. Like his younger brother, Luca developed as a footballer with Weston FC in Florida.

The brothers also played Little League baseball when they were younger. Both showed considerable sporting ability, but football eventually became their primary focus.

Luca played primarily as a defender. His performances with Weston FC were instrumental in creating Nico’s first connection with Everton. When an Everton scout invited Luca for a trial, their father asked whether Nico could join him. That opportunity ultimately had a much greater long-term impact on the younger brother.

Luca also attended the University of Portland, where he was part of the men’s soccer program. His official college biography identifies Rick Hansen and Vanessa Defreitas-Hansen as his parents, independently confirming the family relationship.

After Nico signed his first professional contract with Everton in 2019, the brothers lived together in an apartment in Liverpool. At the time, Luca was continuing his education while also playing football in England.

Luca publicly described himself as one of Nico’s biggest supporters and expressed pride in what his younger brother had accomplished at Everton.

Nico and Luca Hansen Played Together in England

The brothers’ football journeys crossed again several years later. In 2022, Nico joined English non-league club Atherton Collieries after leaving Swansea City. Luca was already associated with the club, meaning the two brothers had the opportunity to be part of the same team environment.

Atherton Collieries specifically highlighted Nico as the brother of defender Luca Defreitas-Hansen when announcing the goalkeeper’s arrival.

Nico went on to establish himself with the club, making more than 50 appearances before leaving in December 2023 to pursue professional opportunities back in the United States.

His decision to return across the Atlantic also brought him geographically closer to his family. Atherton’s farewell announcement stated that Hansen was pursuing professional opportunities in the United States while moving closer to his family in Miami.

Nico Hansen’s Danish and Brazilian Family Heritage

One of the most distinctive elements of Nico Hansen’s family story is his multinational heritage. He was born in Florida, his father Rick is Danish, and his mother Vanessa is Brazilian.

Those family connections gave Hansen several potential international pathways. He was initially involved with the United States youth national-team setup, including at U-16 and U-17 level.

Hansen later elected to represent Denmark at youth level. He played for the Danish U-19 national team, with his father’s nationality making him eligible for the European country.

His move reflected both his family heritage and the practical circumstances of playing in Europe at the time. While developing at Everton, Denmark was geographically much closer than the United States for international assignments.

How Nico Hansen’s Family Helped His Football Career

Nico Hansen’s route into professional football provides an unusual example of how family support can influence a player’s opportunities. His first Everton trial might not have happened without his older brother Luca attracting the club’s attention and his father Rick asking the scout to consider Nico as well.

His parents then supported him through the significant decision to move from Florida to England at just 16. Living away from home required considerable independence, but Hansen continued progressing through Everton’s system and eventually earned a professional contract.

Luca also provided support while Nico lived in England. The brothers shared accommodation in Liverpool and later reunited at Atherton Collieries.

After several years abroad, Hansen’s eventual return to American football allowed him to live closer to his family again. He played for Houston Dynamo 2 before joining the Colorado Rapids organization, where he progressed to the MLS first team.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nico Hansen’s Family

Who are Nico Hansen’s parents?

Nico Hansen’s parents are Rick Hansen and Vanessa Defreitas-Hansen. Rick is Danish, while Vanessa is originally from Brazil.

Who is Nico Hansen’s father?

His father is Rick Hansen. Rick played an important role in Nico’s early career by asking an Everton scout to allow Nico to attend a trial alongside his older brother Luca.

Who is Nico Hansen’s mother?

His mother is Vanessa Defreitas-Hansen, a Brazilian-born real-estate professional based in South Florida.

Does Nico Hansen have siblings?

Yes. His publicly documented sibling is his older brother, Luca Defreitas-Hansen, who is also a footballer.

Who is Luca Defreitas-Hansen?

Luca is Nico Hansen’s older brother. He played college soccer for the University of Portland and later continued playing in England. Luca and Nico were teammates at Atherton Collieries.

Does Nico Hansen have a girlfriend?

As of now, Nico Hansen has not publicly confirmed a girlfriend, and reliable sources do not identify a current partner.

Is Nico Hansen married?

There is no reliable public information indicating that Nico Hansen is married.

Does Nico Hansen have children?

There are no publicly confirmed reports that Nico Hansen has children.

Where are Nico Hansen’s parents from?

His father, Rick, is from Denmark, while his mother, Vanessa, is from Brazil. Nico himself was born and raised in South Florida.