Axel Smeets

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Axel Smeets

| image =

| fullname = Axel Smeets

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1974|7|12}}

| birth_place = Brussels, Belgium

| height = {{height|meters=1.81}}

| position = Defender, Midfielder

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Bosvoorde

| youthclubs2 = Anderlecht

| years1 = 1993–1994

| years2 = 1994–1997

| years3 = 1997–1998

| years4 = 1998–1999

| years5 = 1999

| years6 = 1999–2000

| years7 = 2000–2003

| years8 = 2003–2004

| years9 = 2004–2006

| clubs1 = Standard Liège

| clubs2 = Gent

| clubs3 = Salamanca

| clubs4 = Charleroi

| clubs5 = Kortrijk

| clubs6 = Sheffield United

| clubs7 = Lierse

| clubs8 = Ankarugücü

| clubs9 = HamKam

| clubs10 = Total

| caps1 = 12

| caps2 = 80

| caps3 = 1

| caps4 = -

| caps5 = 23

| caps6 = 8

| caps7 = 74

| caps8 = 7

| caps9 = 42

| caps10 = 247

| goals1 = 0

| goals2 = 2

| goals3 = 0

| goals4 = -

| goals5 = 1

| goals6 = 0

| goals7 = 0

| goals8 = 0

| goals9 = 1

| goals10 = 4

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalteam1 = Belgium U-21

| nationalcaps1 = 25

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| manageryears1 = 2012–2013

| managerclubs1 = Anderlecht (scout)[https://www.anderlecht-online.be/fr/article/16595 Axel Smeets intègre la cellule scouting], anderlecht-online.be, 22 February 2012

| manageryears2 = 2013–2014

| managerclubs2 = RC Waterloo[https://www.walfoot.be/fra/joueurs/smeets-axel Axel Smeets on Walfoot], walfoot.be[http://www.lacapitale.be/677429/article/regions/brabant-wallon/sports/2013-03-06/foot-p2a-une-premiere-reussie-pour-axel-smeets-a-waterloo Une première réussie pour Axel Smeets à Waterloo], lacapitale.be, 6 March 2013

}}

Axel Smeets (born 12 July 1974 in Brussels, Belgium) is a former Association football and football manager, who played as a defender and could also play as a midfielder.

Career

During his career he played for several Belgian clubs and also played overseas for UD Salamanca, Sheffield United (where he got sent off on his debut against Portsmouth){{cite news|url=http://sportinglive.org/football/cc_championship/portsmouth/reports/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/99/08/07/SOCCER_Portsmouth_Nightlead.html&TEAMHD=portsmouth&DIV=nat1&TEAM=PORTSMOUTH&RH=Portsmouth&PREV_SEASON=1998 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130415212446/http://sportinglive.org/football/cc_championship/portsmouth/reports/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/99/08/07/SOCCER_Portsmouth_Nightlead.html&TEAMHD=portsmouth&DIV=nat1&TEAM=PORTSMOUTH&RH=Portsmouth&PREV_SEASON=1998 |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 April 2013 |title=Portsmouth 2 Sheffield United 0 |publisher=Sporting Life |date=7 August 1999 |accessdate=24 February 2013 }} and MKE Ankaragücü, where he had several experiences (good and bad) and ended his career in Norway with HamKam due to a hip injury. The bad recovery from this injury prevented him from signing a 3 years contract for Club Brugge. He also won 25 caps without scoring for the Belgium Under-21s.

The Norwegian Athletes Association had Smeets as right back on their football Team of the Year 2004.

After passing his [http://www.footballcoachingcourses.com/UEFAALicence.html UEFA A Licence], he decided to take the [https://web.archive.org/web/20111002080112/http://fr.fifa.com/associations/association%3Dbel/footballofficials/agents/peoplekind%3Dpag.html FIFA Players' Agent Exam], which he also successfully passed. He's now devoting himself to his player's careers. He also coaches the St. John's International School Boys Varsity football team.