Ezra Hoogenboom: Finding Meaning Beyond Football Through Love Language
For Ezra Hoogenboom, football was always an important part of his life, but never the whole story. “There is way more to football that you might think,” he says. “But I actually never miss it. Training every day, followed by strength sessions and video analyses… the life of a professional footballer simply doesn’t suit me. And in the end, you also have to be realistic when you notice that you’ve ended up on the sidelines.”
His path lies beyond the pitch. Driven by a passion for connecting people and his love for fashion, Ezra Hoogenboom started working on his clothing brand Love Language together with his co-founder Mirthe van Buul, literally at the kitchen table. In a world where words sometimes fall short, Ezra wants to show that love can also be shared without words, through style, creativity and expression.
A Moral Compass
When talking to his close friend Quilindschy Hartman, Ezra looks back on his time in professional football with a smile. “I experienced some truly beautiful moments, but I also saw the other side of the medal. Interaction in the football world is basically ‘you or me’. You have to win. If you’re part of the team and you win, everything is great. But if you lose, it can easily mean you don’t play the next match, or that a lot of negativity comes your way. It’s part of the game.”
Still, that side of football was not always easy for him. “I value honest people, but in football, for some, it’s mainly about themselves. I struggled with that. That period in my life gave me insights that I now apply to my norms and values. I stand up for things I don’t agree with something I did less back then. It also taught me how important it is to talk to the right people. In entrepreneurship, everything is in your own hands; you have to think, build and organize everything yourself.”
That is exactly why Ezra and his co-founder have invested a lot of time from the very beginning in finding partners who share their values and work in an honest and careful way. “It had to be a collaboration that felt right: open, honest and respectful. Those are precisely the lessons I took from football. Honesty and respect form the foundation of everything for me.”
Love As a Language
“For me, love is the core of everything we do,” Ezra emphasizes. “Not only in relationships, but also in how we treat each other. How we work, create and live. I noticed that there’s often a certain hesitation among men to talk about love, as if it’s something soft or vulnerable that doesn’t fit masculinity, while there is actually so much strength in it.”
And love doesn’t have to be romantic. “It can be friendship, the bond with animals, or really anything you care about. Love is everywhere, and I find that incredibly beautiful. With my brand, I want to show that love isn’t something sentimental, but something powerful. Love means attention, connection and respect for yourself and for others. I think that if we dare to embrace that more, we can be much freer and more genuine with each other. It’s something positive, not something to be ashamed of.”
According to Ezra, the telling slogan ‘We are not just a brand, we are a movement’ perfectly captures the essence of what Love Language stands for. “We chose this slogan because it’s not just about clothing, but about a way of thinking and acting,” he explains. The brand aims to inspire people to act from love, with openness, respect and positivity. Every garment carries that energy; it’s not only about what you wear, but also about the feeling you convey, the confidence or smile it sparks. When that bit of love is passed on, that’s Love Language.
Dream, Dare, Do
Ezra Hoogenboom also finds inspiration in others who have followed a similar path. “Someone like Gino Dekker, for example — also a former professional footballer who started his own clothing brand. That inspires me tremendously, especially the way he presents himself and his brand to the outside world.”
Looking ahead, Ezra hopes Love Language will continue to grow and reach a wide audience. “Becoming rich is not my goal” he says honestly. “I want to work full-time on this brand, enjoy everything we do, and build a brand that almost everyone recognizes. That would be amazing.”
His final message is crystal clear: “If you want something in life, you have to fight for it. You can achieve anything you want, as long as you work hard for it, fully commit, and truly believe in it. Then anything is possible.”
Ready for more?
Read the full interview with Ezra Hoogenboom in our latest issue — Life After Football Magazine, Issue 87.
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