Danny Petrus Hesp (born 19 October 1969) is a Dutch retired footballer who played as a defender.
Playing career
Born in Amsterdam but raised in Abcoude, Hesp started professionally at Ajax, but only appeared in nine Eredivisie games in three seasons combined, all in his first. A very promising player, he broke his leg after a sliding tackle by FC Den Bosch defender Fred van der Hoorn in 1988 and never fully recovered to reach his full potential.
Released in 1990, Hesp resumed his career with Heerenveen, going to play until 2005 with several clubs in the top level (Roda, AZ, NEC and RBC) and also spending three seasons – two complete, two halves – with second division's Top Oss.
In 2005, Hesp became president of the Vereniging van Contractspelers (VVCS), the Dutch union for professional soccer players, and in 2013 announced he would function as a contact for gay soccer players, to assist them in their coming-out; a 2014 poll by the VVCS and the John Blankenstein Foundation indicated that soccer's culture of machismo was an important cause of homophobia in the sport.
After suffering from a burn-out, Hesp became a personal trainer and runs a gym in Alkmaar.
Personal life
Hesp's older brother, Ruud, was also a professional footballer. A goalkeeper, he was best known for his three-year stint with Spain's Barcelona; the pair played together in the 1995–96 campaign, at Roda.
