From netting a winner against Barcelona in the Champions League to working as a barber

Hoesen's career is a classic example of what could have been. The former Dutch footballer, whose early career took him from Fortuna Sittard to Fulham's academy and then to Helsinki, joined Ajax at the age of 22 in 2012.

He arrived at the renowned Dutch club after an impressive season with Fortuna Sittard, scoring 14 goals and providing nine assists in the 2011/12 season, but he never managed to secure a regular spot in Amsterdam.

Despite limited playing time at Ajax, his stint wasn't entirely unsuccessful, and he made notable contributions when he did play. His journey then took him to less prominent clubs, including PAOK and Groningen, before a brief stint in the MLS with San Jose Earthquakes and Austin FC, before retiring at Emmen. At 34, Hoesen now works as a barber in a shop run by his brother-in-law.

"I had no cartilage in my left hip. My level of play was dropping, and the pain was becoming unbearable. One day, I couldn't even finish a training session, so I decided to retire," Hoesen explained in his interview with The Sun.

"After retiring, I needed something to focus on, a new goal. My brother-in-law invited me to join his business, and I initially co-owned the barbershop. But I found it boring at first and started paying attention to how the barbers worked. I found it rewarding and decided to give it a try. I never had a big ego as a player, so the transition was easy," Hoesen continued.

Hoesen had been signed by Fulham with the future in mind, though he never debuted for the first team. He did, however, play for Ajax against teams like Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona, scoring against both in the Champions League. Hoesen, who faced players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, scored the winning goal against Barcelona in a 2-1 victory in the 2013 group stage.

He started that historic match under Frank de Boer, with Ajax leading 2-0 thanks to his goal and one from Serero in the first half. After a red card for Veltman, Barcelona, with players like Neymar, Cesc, Pedro, Iniesta, Puyol, Pique and Xavi, pulled one back from a penalty, but couldn't complete the comeback.

Hoesen played just one more Champions League match, bringing his total to five, and counts Xabi Alonso as the toughest opponent he faced in his debut in the competition, a 1-4 loss to Real Madrid in October 2012.