Matte Smets

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Matte Smets

| image =

| caption =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2004|1|4|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Bilzen, Belgium

| height = 1.84m

| position = Centre-back,
Defensive midfielder

| currentclub = Genk

| clubnumber = 6

| youthyears1 = 2009–2010

| youthclubs1 = Bilzerse VV

| youthyears2 = 2010–2018

| youthclubs2 = Genk

| youthyears3 = 2018–2022

| youthclubs3 = Sint-Truiden

| years1 = 2022–2024

| clubs1 = Sint-Truiden

| caps1 = 54

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2024–

| clubs2 = Genk

| caps2 = 38

| goals2 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2023

| nationalteam1 = Belgium U20

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2024–

| nationalteam2 = Belgium U21

| nationalcaps2 = 2

| nationalgoals2 = 1

| nationalyears3 = 2024–

| nationalteam3 = Belgium

| nationalcaps3 = 1

| nationalgoals3 = 0

| pcupdate = 5 June 2025

| ntupdate = 17 November 2024

| medaltemplates =

}}

Matte Smets (born 4 January 2004) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Belgian Pro League club Genk and the Belgium national team.

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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hbvl.be/cnt/dmf20230109_96595566|title=STVV-jonkie Matte Smets is bezeten van het spelletje: "Als kleuter wilde ik maar één speelgoed: een bal"|date=10 January 2023|website=www.hbvl.be}} 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.{{Cite web |date=2022-10-11 |title=Maak kennis met STVV-debutant Matte Smets: van net niet bij KRC Genk tot titularis op Stayen? |url=https://www.hbvl.be/cnt/dmf20221010_96086008 |access-date=2024-01-05 |website=www.hbvl.be |language=nl-BE}} 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.{{Cite web |date=2022-10-07 |title=Antwerp herpakt zich na nederlaag tegen Kortrijk: Great Old klopt tienkoppig STVV met 2-0 |url=https://www.hln.be/jupiler-pro-league/antwerp-herpakt-zich-na-nederlaag-tegen-kortrijk-great-old-klopt-tienkoppig-stvv-met-2-0~a94c2dd1/ |access-date=2024-01-05 |website=Het Laatste Nieuws |language=nl}}

Originally a defensive midfielder, Smets was developed into a centre-back in the middle of a three-man defense.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hbvl.be/cnt/dmf20230202_97769276|title=De jonkie, de sterke kopper of de krachtpatser: wie vervangt geschorste Janssens in gehavende STVV-defensie?|date=3 February 2023|website=www.hbvl.be}} On 6 July 2023, he extended his contract with Sint-Truiden until 2026.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hbvl.be/cnt/dmf20230706_95840976|title=STVV verlengt contract van jeugdproduct Matte Smets|date=6 July 2023|website=Het Belang van Limburg}}

After finishing an impressive ninth in the 2023-24 Belgian Pro League season under coach Thorsten Fink, coming close to qualifying for the title play-offs, Smets returned to Racing Genk, following Fink's move there.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-22 |title=Matte Smets hakt de knoop door en ruilt STVV in voor rivaal KRC Genk (Matte Smets makes the decision and swaps STVV for rival KRC Genk) |url=https://sporza.be/nl/2024/06/22/matte-smets-hakt-de-knoop-door-en-ruilt-stvv-in-voor-rivaal-krc~1719071980461/ |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=Sporza |language=nl}}{{Cite web |date=2024-06-22 |title=Matte Smets signs for four seasons at KRC Genk |url=https://www.krcgenk.be/en/news/5581/matt-smets-20-signs-for-4-seasons-at-krc-genk/ |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=KRC Genk |language=en}}

The same transfer window had seen interest from Gent and Watford.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hbvl.be/cnt/dmf20240606_96748852|title=KRC Genk praat met Matte Smets (STVV), maar er zijn veel kapers op de kust (KRC Genk is in talks with Matte Smets of STVV, but there are many interested parties)|date=7 June 2024|website=Het Belang van Limburg}}{{Cite web|url=https://onefootball.com/en/news/gent-hoping-to-sign-sint-truidens-young-star-38930010|title=Gent hoping to sign Sint-Truiden’s young star|date=7 June 2024|website=OneFootball}}{{Cite web|url=https://sportwitness.co.uk/rival-face-main-competition-watford-signing-hornets-tussle-e2-25m-rated-player/|title=Watford in picture to sign 20-year-old – Hornets in tussle for €2.25m-rated player|date=12 June 2024|website=Sport Witness}}

International career

Smets is a youth international for Belgium, having played for the Belgium U20s in November 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gva.be/cnt/dmf20231206_93790816|title=Matte Smets (19) van STVV is de enige tiener in Europa die élke minuut speelt: "Hij zou zo uit de Ajax-school kunnen komen"|date=6 December 2023|website=www.gva.be}}

Smets scored on his debut for the Belgium U21s, opening the scoring in a 2-2 draw with Morocco U23s on 4 June 2024.{{Cite web|url=https://www.flashscore.com/match/IwQrj2Nj/#/match-summary/match-summary|title=Morocco U23 2-2 Belgium U21|date=4 June 2024|website=Flashscore}}

In October 2024 he was named in the senior Belgium squad for the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League matches against Italy and France on 10 and 14 October 2024 respectively, remaining on the bench for both games.{{cite news | url=https://sporza.be/nl/2024/09/30/geen-de-bruyne-en-lukaku-bij-rode-duivels-wel-selectie-voor-fofana-ngonge-smets-en-vandevoordt~1727701471318/| title=Geen De Bruyne en Lukaku bij Rode Duivels, wel selectie voor Fofana, Ngonge, Smets en Vandevoordt | trans-title=No De Bruyne and Lukaku at Red Devils, but selections for Fofana, Ngonge, Smets and Vandevoordt| publisher=sporza | access-date=4 October 2024}}

He made his debut on 17 November 2024 in a Nations League game against Israel at the Bozsik Aréna in Hungary. He substituted Zeno Debast at half-time, as Israel won 1–0.{{cite web|publisher=ESPN|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/match/_/gameId/699018/belgium-israel|title=Israel v Belgium game report|date=17 November 2024}}

Career statistics

=Club=

Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition !rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|National cup !colspan="2"\|Europe !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
rowspan="3"\|Sint-Truidense \|2022–23 \|Belgian Pro League \|14	0	2	0	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	16	0
2023–24 \|Belgian Pro League \|40	0	2	0	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	42	0
colspan="2"\|Total !54	0	4	0	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	58	0
Genk \|2024–25 \|Belgian Pro League \|36	0	4	0	colspan="2"\|—	0	0	40	0
colspan="3"\|Career total !90	0	8	0	0	0	0	0	98	0

=International=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+ Appearances and goals by national team and year !National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals
rowspan="1"\|Belgium \|2024	1	0
colspan="2"\|Total	1	0

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

+ Appearances and goals by national team and year

!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals

rowspan="1"|Belgium

|2024

colspan="2"|Total