Matte Smets

Matte Smets (born 4 January 2004) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Sint-Truiden.

Matte Smets
Personal information
Date of birth (2004-01-04) 4 January 2004
Place of birth Bilzen, Belgium
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Centre-back,
Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Sint-Truiden
Number 16
Youth career
2009–2010 Bilzerse
2010–2018 Genk
2018–2022 Sint-Truiden
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022– Sint-Truiden 44 (0)
International career‡
2023– Belgium U20 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 28 March 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:06, 9 December 2023 (UTC)

Club career

Smets began playing football with Bilzerse, where his father was a former player. He shortly after moved to Genk in 2010 where he stayed for 8 years.[1] In 2018, he moved to the youth academy of Sint-Truiden where he finished his development. On 27 May 2022, he signed his first professional contract with the club.[2] He made his senior and professional debut with Sint-Truiden as a substitute in a 2–0 Belgian First Division A loss to Royal Antwerp on 7 October 2022.[3]

Originally a defensive midfielder, Smets was developed into a centre-back in the middle of a three-man defense.[4] On 6 July 2023, he extended his contract with Sint-Truiden until 2026.[5]

International career

Smets is a youth international for Belgium, having played for the Belgium U20s in November 2023.[6]

References
  1. "STVV-jonkie Matte Smets is bezeten van het spelletje: "Als kleuter wilde ik maar één speelgoed: een bal"". www.hbvl.be. 10 January 2023.
  2. "Maak kennis met STVV-debutant Matte Smets: van net niet bij KRC Genk tot titularis op Stayen?". www.hbvl.be (in Flemish). 11 October 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  3. "Antwerp herpakt zich na nederlaag tegen Kortrijk: Great Old klopt tienkoppig STVV met 2-0". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). 7 October 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  4. "De jonkie, de sterke kopper of de krachtpatser: wie vervangt geschorste Janssens in gehavende STVV-defensie?". www.hbvl.be. 3 February 2023.
  5. "STVV verlengt contract van jeugdproduct Matte Smets". Het Belang van Limburg. 6 July 2023.
  6. "Matte Smets (19) van STVV is de enige tiener in Europa die élke minuut speelt: "Hij zou zo uit de Ajax-school kunnen komen"". www.gva.be. 6 December 2023.
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