Joëlle Smits Explained

Joëlle Smits
Full Name:Joëlle Smits
Birth Date:2000 2, df=yes
Birth Place:'s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands
Height:1.69 m
Position:Striker
Currentclub:PSV
Clubnumber:9
Youthyears1:2006–2014
Youthclubs1:OJC Rosmalen
Youthyears2:2014–2015
Youthclubs2:Brabant United
Youthyears3:2015–2017
Youthclubs3:CTO Eindhoven
Years1:2017–2019
Clubs1:Twente
Caps1:45
Goals1:45
Years2:2019–2021
Clubs2:PSV
Caps2:30
Goals2:39
Years3:2021–2022
Clubs3:VfL Wolfsburg
Caps3:13
Goals3:1
Years4:2021–2022
Clubs4:VfL Wolfsburg II
Caps4:4
Goals4:3
Years5:2022–
Clubs5:PSV
Caps5:41
Goals5:23
Nationalyears1:2014–2015
Nationalteam1:Netherlands U15
Nationalcaps1:8
Nationalgoals1:6
Nationalyears2:2015–2016
Nationalteam2:Netherlands U16
Nationalcaps2:16
Nationalgoals2:15
Nationalyears3:2016
Nationalteam3:Netherlands U17
Nationalcaps3:7
Nationalgoals3:15
Nationalyears4:2017–2019
Nationalteam4:Netherlands U19
Nationalcaps4:38
Nationalgoals4:33
Nationalyears5:2018
Nationalteam5:Netherlands U20
Nationalcaps5:6
Nationalgoals5:2
Nationalyears6:2019–2023
Nationalteam6:Netherlands U23
Nationalcaps6:10
Nationalgoals6:5
Nationalyears7:2020–2021
Nationalteam7:Netherlands
Nationalcaps7:8
Nationalgoals7:1
Club-Update:11 May 2024
Ntupdate:10 April 2023

Joëlle Smits (born 7 February 2000) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a striker for Eredivisie club PSV.

Club career

Smits started her youth career with OJC Rosmalen at the age of six.[1] She spent eight years there playing alongside boys before moving to Brabant United. In 2015, she moved to CTO Eindhoven.[2]

In May 2017, Smits signed her first professional contract with Eredivisie club Twente.[3] She made her debut on 1 September in a 3–0 league win against Zwolle. She scored in 58th minute of the game before being replaced by Bente Jansen.[4] She scored 25 goals in 21 league matches during the 2018–19 season to help her club win the league title.[5]

In February 2019, it was confirmed that Smits would join PSV prior to the 2019–20 season.[6] She was top Eredivisie scorer when football leagues across Netherlands were suspended by Dutch government in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]

On 15 September 2020, German Frauen-Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg announced that Smits has signed a three-year contract with the club, which would start in July 2021.[8] On 5 June 2021, she played her last match for PSV in the cup final against ADO Den Haag. She scored the only goal in the match to win PSV's first trophy in its history. With 52 goals from 45 matches across all competitions, Smits left the club as PSV's all-time top scorer.[9]

During her only season with Wolfsburg, Smits won the German league and domestic cup titles.[10] On 3 June 2022, her contract with the club was terminated by mutual agreement.[11] She returned to her former club PSV on the same day, signing a three-year contract until June 2025.[12]

International career

Smits is a former Dutch youth international and has represented her nation with different age level teams. On 21 October 2016, she scored seven goals in her team's 11–0 win against Bulgaria during 2017 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship qualifiers.[13] She was also part of Netherlands under-19 team that reached semi-finals of UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship in 2017 and 2019.[14] [15]

With 15 goals from 16 matches, she holds the record for most caps and goals for the Netherlands under-16 team.[16] Similarly, with 33 goals from 38 matches, Smits is the most capped player and all-time top scorer of the Netherlands under-19 team.[17]

Smits made her senior team debut on 4 March 2020 in a friendly against Brazil. She came on as an 84th-minute substitute for Vivianne Miedema before the match ended in a goalless draw.[18] On 16 June 2021, Smits was named as a stand-by player for 2020 Olympics.[19] On 20 July, she was added to the final squad as a replacement for injured Sherida Spitse.[20]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Twente2017–18Eredivisie2420102520
2018–19Eredivisie2125352430
Total45454500004950
PSV2019–20Eredivisie121611651922
2020–21Eredivisie18233332222630
Total30394497224552
VfL Wolfsburg2021–22Frauen-Bundesliga1312221174
VfL Wolfsburg II2021–222. Frauen-Bundesliga4343
PSV2022–23Eredivisie1964110217
2023–24Eredivisie221700212418
Career total133111141212943160134

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Netherlands202030
202151
Total81

Scores and results list Netherlands' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Smits goal.

Honours

Twente

PSV

VfL Wolfsburg

Individual

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Voor Joëlle Smits is voetbal haar lust en leven. 7 August 2017. 6 June 2021.
  2. Web site: PSV-aanvaller Joëlle Smits: 'Als meisje van zes zag ik de jongens voetballen. Toen wist ik: dit wil ik ook'. 29 October 2019. 6 June 2021.
  3. Web site: Groot talent Joëlle Smits gaat bij FC Twente voetballen. 8 May 2017. 6 June 2021.
  4. Web site: PEC Zwolle vs. Twente - 1 September 2017 - Soccerway. 5 August 2020.
  5. Web site: Smits: I'm proud to play for this Netherlands team. 25 October 2019. 6 June 2021.
  6. Web site: Topscorer Joëlle Smits voor 3 seizoenen naar PSV. 20 February 2019. 5 August 2020.
  7. Web site: TOT EN MET 31 MAART GEEN VOETBAL IN NEDERLAND. 12 March 2020. 6 June 2021.
  8. Web site: Verstärkung für die kommende Saison. 19 September 2020.
  9. Web site: Met doelpunt 52 bezorgt Joëlle Smits PSV de beker. 6 June 2021. 6 June 2021.
  10. Web site: So deutlich wie nie: VfL-Frauen stellen DFB-Pokal-Rekord ein. 29 May 2022. 4 June 2022.
  11. Web site: Joelle Smits verlässt den VfL Wolfsburg. 3 June 2022. 4 June 2022.
  12. Web site: Oplossing voor spitsenprobleem PSV is daar: clubtopscorer Joëlle Smits keert terug. 3 June 2022. 4 June 2022.
  13. Web site: Bulgaria-Netherlands 0-11. 9 May 2021.
  14. Web site: DEFINITIEVE EK-SELECTIE VROUWEN ONDER 19 BEKEND. 30 July 2017. 9 May 2021.
  15. Web site: DEFINITIEVE EK-SELECTIE VROUWEN ONDER 19. 5 July 2019. 9 May 2021.
  16. Web site: Oranje Onder 16 . 15 April 2024 . nl.
  17. Web site: JOËLLE SMITS BREEKT ALLE RECORDS MET VROUWEN ONDER 19. 9 April 2019. 9 May 2021.
  18. Web site: Netherlands vs. Brazil - 4 March 2020 - Soccerway. 5 August 2020.
  19. Web site: Joëlle Smits uit Den Bosch niet in Olympische voetbalselectie. 16 June 2021. 20 July 2021.
  20. Web site: Voetbalster Spitse mist Olympische Spelen door knieblessure, Smits bij selectie. 20 July 2021. 20 July 2021.