Simen Hestnes

Simen Hestnes
Personal information
Date of birth (1996-02-05) 5 February 1996 (age 28)
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 KFUM
Number 8
Youth career
2012–2015 Vålerenga
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2016 LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds
2017–2018 Xavier Musketeers 39 (15)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017 Brooklyn Italians
2019–2021 Skeid 38 (4)
2022– KFUM 64 (9)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 3 May 2024

Simen Hestnes (born 5 February 1996) is a Norwegian footballer who plays as a midfielder for KFUM in Eliteserien.

Hestnes hails from Oslo and is a son of a volleyball player. He joined the youth section of Vålerenga Fotball and attended the Wang elite sports school.[2] In April 2015 he made his senior debut for Vålerenga, playing in the 2015 Norwegian Football Cup first round against Lokomotiv Oslo.[3] He left during the summer to attend LIU Brooklyn and play for the LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds.[4] In the 2015 Northeast Conference season he made the All-Conference Team, and in the 2016 Northeast Conference season he made the All-Conference Team again and was awarded Player of the Year. Hestnes also played for the Brooklyn Italians during the 2017 NPSL season before changing college to the Xavier University and the Xavier Musketeers men's soccer team. During the 2017 Big East Conference season he made the All-Conference Second Team.[2][5] Describing himself as snotty and immature before he left for the US, Hestnes also admitted that he was a "baron of the nightlife" during his stay. An agent talked about FC Cincinnati wanting to acquire Hestnes in the MLS Draft, which did not happen.[6]

After graduating from Xavier University, Hestnes returned to Norway in the summer of 2019 and joined struggling 1. divisjon team Skeid. Despite his 2 goals in 4 games, Skeid were relegated, but he was a part of the team that won re-promotion from the 2020 2. divisjon. After the 2021 season, Hestnes left Skeid for another Oslo club at the second tier, KFUM.[7][8]

Hestnes soon formed a midfield duo with Robin Rasch.[6] In the 2023 1. divisjon, KFUM managed to win promotion to Eliteserien, a level the club had never before managed to reach. After winning promotion Hestnes extended his contract to 2026.[9] In April 2024 he was in the starting eleven for KFUM's debut in Eliteserien.[10] He scored his first Eliteserien goal in the same month against Strømsgodset.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b Simen Hestnes at Soccerway. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  2. ^ a b "10 Simen Hestnes". Xavier University. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  3. ^ Simen Hestnes at the Norwegian Football Federation (in Norwegian)
  4. ^ "LIU Men's Soccer Adds Simen Hestnes for 2015". Northeast Conference. 22 June 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  5. ^ "LIU Brooklyn's Simen Hestnes Named NEC Men's Soccer Player of the Year". Northeast Conference. 10 November 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  6. ^ a b Karstensen, Pål (16 September 2022). "Fra utelivsbaron i USA til opprykkskamp om eliteseriespill: – Jeg var en liten drittunge". Dagsavisen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  7. ^ Karstensen, Pål (28 January 2022). "Får Kåffa-debuten mot gamleklubben: Kommer nok noen meldinger". Dagsavisen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  8. ^ Karstensen, Pål (21 December 2021). "KFUM plukker opp midtbanemann fra divisjonskollega: Følte jeg at jeg trengte noe nytt". Dagsavisen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  9. ^ "Hestnes blir med KFUM opp til Eliteserien" (in Norwegian). NRK. Norwegian News Agency. 13 December 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  10. ^ "Slik starter Kåffa i Eliteserie-debuten" (in Norwegian). TV 2. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.