| Kees Smit | |
| Birth Date: | 21 January 2006 |
| Birth Place: | Heiloo, The Netherlands |
| Height: | 1.82 m |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Currentclub: | AZ |
| Clubnumber: | 26 |
| Youthyears1: | –2023 |
| Youthclubs1: | AZ Alkmaar |
| Years1: | 2023– |
| Clubs1: | AZ |
| Caps1: | 2 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 2023– |
| Clubs2: | Jong AZ |
| Caps2: | 42 |
| Goals2: | 6 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2021 |
| Nationalteam1: | Netherlands U16 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 6 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2022–2023 |
| Nationalteam2: | Netherlands U17 |
| Nationalcaps2: | 7 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
| Nationalyears3: | 2023– |
| Nationalteam3: | Netherlands U18 |
| Nationalcaps3: | 3 |
| Nationalgoals3: | 0 |
| Nationalyears4: | 2024– |
| Nationalteam4: | Netherlands U19 |
| Nationalcaps4: | 7 |
| Nationalgoals4: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | 24 November 2024 |
| Nationalteam-Update: | 15 October 2024 |
Kees Smit (born 21 January 2006) is a Dutch footballer who plays for club AZ Alkmaar as a midfielder.[1]
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 January 23, 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]
In November 2021, Smit played for the Netherlands national under-16 football team against the Belgian under-16s.[19] Smit has since been selected for the Dutch U17s.[20] [21]
| Club | Season | League | 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 | 9 | 4 | — | — | — | 9 | 4 | |||||
| Total | 42 | 6 | — | — | — | 42 | 6 | ||||||
| AZ | 2024–25 | Eredivisie | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | |
| Career total | 44 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 7 | |||