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Kees Smit
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Kees Smit (born 21 January 2006) is a Dutch footballer who plays for Eredivisie club AZ Alkmaar as a midfielder.[1]
Key Information
Club career
[edit]From Heiloo, Smit joined the academy at AZ Alkmaar at nine years-old in 2015. He then became the youngest member of their under-12 squad.[2] After progressing through the ranks at AZ, he signed a three-and-a-half-year professional contract in January 2021.[3][4]
In December 2022, Smit was included with the first team squad on their mid-season break travelling training party to Valencia, Spain.[5] In January 2023, a goal Smit scored in a five-a-side indoor game went viral due to its unusual nature, as he beat the outrushing goalkeeper with shot rebounded from the side wall.[6][7][8] Later that month, Smit made his professional debut for Jong AZ in the Eerste Divisie in a home match against Helmond Sport, on 23 January 2023.[9][10]
With AZ under-19s playing in the UEFA Youth League he was part of the team that beat Barcelona and Real Madrid on consecutive rounds to reach the semi-finals in March 2023.[11][12][13] Smit scored a long range goal in the UEFA Youth League last-sixteen tie against Barcelona that brought praise.[14][15][16] He also played in the UEFA Youth League final against Hajduk Split as AZ ran out 5–0 winners.[17]
He made his UEFA Europa League debut for AZ Alkmaar on 7 November 2024 in a 3–1 home win against Fenerbahçe, scoring the second goal and being credited with an assist for the third.[18] He played in the final of the KNVB Cup as AZ lost to Go Ahead Eagles on penalties on 21 April 2025. The game had ended 1-1 in normal time after Go Ahead Eagles scored a 98th minute equaliser.[19]
International career
[edit]In November 2021, Smit played for the Netherlands national under-16 football team against the Belgian under-16s.[20] Smit has since been selected for the Dutch U17s.[21][22] Smit played for the Dutch U19s during the 2025 UEFA European Under-19 Championship which they won for the first time, Smit became player of the tournament
Career statistics
[edit]- As of match played 26 October 2025
| Club | Season | League | KNVB Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Jong AZ | 2022–23 | Eerste Divisie | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | |||
| 2023–24 | Eerste Divisie | 29 | 2 | — | — | — | 29 | 2 | ||||
| 2024–25 | Eerste Divisie | 13 | 8 | — | — | — | 13 | 8 | ||||
| Total | 46 | 10 | — | — | — | 46 | 10 | |||||
| AZ | 2023–24 | Eredivisie | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2024–25 | Eredivisie | 20 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 7[a] | 1 | — | 30 | 2 | ||
| 2025–26 | Eredivisie | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7[b] | 0 | — | 16 | 1 | ||
| Total | 30 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 1 | — | 47 | 3 | |||
| Career total | 76 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 93 | 13 | ||
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Conference League
Honours
[edit]Netherlands U19
Individual
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship top scorer: 2025[24]
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship Player of the Tournament: 2025[25]
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2025[26]
References
[edit]- ^ "Kees Smit". Soccerway. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
- ^ "Speler van de Maand: Kees Smit". az.nl. 18 November 2022. Archived from the original on 27 September 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
- ^ "Kees Smit signs first contract with AZ". deforesters.nl. February 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
- ^ "AZ bindt Smit". 29 January 2021. Archived from the original on 31 January 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
- ^ "AZ geeft talenten weer de kans: zestienjarige mee op trainingskamp". vi.nl. 17 December 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
- ^ "AZ jeugdspeler Smit steelt show bij 5 tegen 5-toernooi met déze slimme goal". sportnieuws.nl. 9 January 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
- ^ "Smit rough edges Brilliant goal from Alkmaar youth player in the hall". 11freunde.de. 9 January 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
- ^ Hörmann, Daniel (9 January 2023). "Video: Freches Tor über Bande bei Jugendhallenturnier". Fumsmagazin. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
- ^ Brinkman, Erik -Jan (27 January 2023). "Double feeling for Young AZ talent Kees Smit after special week: "Boy's dream"". nhnieuws.nl. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
- ^ "AZ II VS. HELMOND 1-1". Soccerway. 23 January 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
- ^ "Daniël Beukers klopt met AZ Barcelona". 2 March 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- ^ "El AZ Alkmaar repite la misma receta para dejar fuera al Madrid". besoccer.com. 16 March 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- ^ "Lewis Schouten en Daniël Breukers smaakmakers bij Youth League/sensatie". telegraaf.nl. 16 March 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- ^ "Youth League: The incredible goal of the central circle of Kees Smit which surprises Barça!". beinsports.com. 1 March 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
- ^ Van Poppel, Jeroen (1 March 2023). "Kees Smit enchants Johan Cruijff stadium with an unparalleled goal against Barcelona". Archived from the original on 17 March 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
- ^ "Wondergoal! AZ-talent Kees Smit (17) schiet vanuit middencirkel raak tegen FC Barcelona in Youth League". sportnieuws.nl. 1 March 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
- ^ "UEFA Youth League final report: AZ Alkmaar 5-0 Hajduk Split". UEFA. 24 April 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
- ^ "Effective AZ thanks in part to 18-year-old star Smit past Fenerbahçe: 3-1". Nos.nl. 7 November 2024. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
- ^ "Go Ahead Eagles Win The KNVB Cup". Football-Oranje. 21 April 2025. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
- ^ "Oefeninterlands, seizoen 2021/22". onsoranje.nl. 23 November 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
- ^ Fleming, Connor (8 January 2023). "This is one of the most satisfyingly inventive indoor goals ever". the18.com. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
- ^ "Update: zeven AZ'ers in voorlopige selectie Oranje Onder 17". az.nl. 4 March 2023. Archived from the original on 19 March 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
- ^ "Under-19 EURO final report: Netherlands edge Spain for first title". uefa.com. 26 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ "2025 Under-19 EURO finals top scorers: Said El Mala, Pablo Garcia, Max Moerstedt, Kees Smit". uefa.com. 26 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ "Netherlands' Kees Smit named UEFA European Under-19 Championship Player of the Tournament". uefa.com. 26 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ "2025 Under-19 EURO Team of the Tournament". uefa.com. 29 June 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2025.