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.

Axel Smeets
Personal information
Full name Axel Smeets
Date of birth (1974-07-12) 12 July 1974 (age 50)
Place of birth Brussels, Belgium
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11+12 in)
Position(s) Defender, Midfielder
Youth career
Bosvoorde
Anderlecht
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1993–1994 Standard Liège 12 (0)
1994–1997 Gent 80 (2)
1997–1998 Salamanca 1 (0)
1998–1999 Charleroi - (-)
1999 Kortrijk 23 (1)
1999–2000 Sheffield United 8 (0)
2000–2003 Lierse 74 (0)
2003–2004 Ankarugücü 7 (0)
2004–2006 HamKam 42 (1)
Total 247 (4 )
International career
Belgium U-21 25 (0)
Managerial career
2012–2013 Anderlecht (scout)[1]
2013–2014 RC Waterloo[2][3]
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

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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)[4] 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 UEFA A Licence, he decided to take the 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.

References

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  1. ^ Axel Smeets intègre la cellule scouting, anderlecht-online.be, 22 February 2012
  2. ^ Axel Smeets on Walfoot, walfoot.be
  3. ^ Une première réussie pour Axel Smeets à Waterloo, lacapitale.be, 6 March 2013
  4. ^ "Portsmouth 2 Sheffield United 0". Sporting Life. 7 August 1999. Archived from the original on 15 April 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
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