Ruud Hesp

Ruud Hesp

File:PSV Eindhoven, Teamcamp Bad Erlach, July 2014 (057).jpg Hesp in 2014
Personal information
Full name	Rudolfus Hubertus Hesp
Date of birth	(1965-10-31) 31 October 1965
Place of birth	Bussum, Netherlands
Height
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1985–1987	Haarlem	2	(0)
1987–1994	Fortuna Sittard	238	(0)
1994–1997	Roda	102	(0)
1997–2000	Barcelona	95	(0)
2000–2002	Fortuna Sittard	62	(0)
Total		499	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Rudolfus 'Ruud' Hubertus Hesp (born 31 October 1965) is a Dutch retired footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Club career

Born in Bussum, North Holland, Hesp started his career in the 1985–86 season at HFC Haarlem. After two years where he rarely played, he moved to another club in the Eredivisie, Fortuna Sittard, where he would remain the following seven years; during his first ten professional campaigns (one with Fortuna was spent in the second division), he did not miss a single game.

After three seasons with Roda JC, Hesp signed with Spanish side FC Barcelona as the Catalans were being managed by countryman Louis van Gaal, also newly-signed. He easily beat competition from Portuguese Vítor Baía, playing in 73 out of 76 possible La Liga matches as Barça won back-to-back leagues (in 1998, the double befell).

In his last season at the Camp Nou, Hesp split first-choice status with youth graduate Francesc Arnau, then moved back to the Netherlands and Fortuna, retiring at almost 37 in 2002. Subsequently, he joined FC Groningen as a goalkeeper's coach.

In the 2013 summer, Hesp left Groningen for PSV Eindhoven in the same capacity.

International career

Although Hesp was picked by the Netherlands for their UEFA Euro 1996 and 1998 FIFA World Cup squads, he never actually won a cap for the national team, acting as understudy to both first-choice Edwin van der Sar and his substitute Ed de Goey.

He also worked with the national team as a goalkeeper coach.

Personal life

Hesp's younger brother, Danny, was also a professional footballer. A defender, the pair shared teams in 1994–95 at Roda.

External links

• Beijen profile (Dutch)
• Roda archives (Dutch)
• Ruud Hesp profile at BDFutbol