Matte Smets

Smets's current-season form is level with last season (Season 39→41), while his Rating held around 61. His peak season for form remains 2024/25 (Season 49).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	Genk · 9th	2	0	6.55	61	41
2025/26	Genk · 3rd	39	1	7.17	61	39
2024/25	Genk · 3rd	38	0	7.07	62	49
2023/24	St. Truiden · 2nd	38	0	7.07	62	37
2022/23	St. Truiden · 2nd	14	0	7.01	53	18
2022/23	Genk	26	0	7.01	—	—

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year.

Belgium · international

Side	Apps	G
Belgium	1	0
Belgium U21	1	0

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Rising assetCentral defender

M. Smets is a 22-year-old central defender at Genk, rated 60.8 overall by Field Insider's model. An emerging talent, he has been an ever-present this season (95.1% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 3.95 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Smets.

On the season, Smets graded 39 for current form (age-blind), on 9 clean sheets and 3.95 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 39 → 41). Over the 5 seasons on record his form has trended upward, peaking in 2024/25.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 61. At 22 Smets is still climbing toward his ceiling, and a market index of 19.3 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Below his 2024/25 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.

Peak: 2024/25Holding levelBreakout: 2023/24

60.8

Ratingi

a strong, regular top-tier starter

38.5

Seasoni

developing / rotation level

95.1%

Minutes

near ever-present

3.95

Def. actions / 90

solid defensive volume

Output in context · Genk finished 9th of 18 · a mid-table side

Apps

3.95

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

3.95 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — solid defensive volume, with 9 clean sheets across 39 appearances. Going forward he chipped in 0 goals and 1 assist — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Availability. On the pitch for 95.1% of available minutes — a dependable presence in the XI.
Defensive volume. 3.95 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — does the unseen work.
Ceiling. High potential at just 22 — room to grow into a bigger role.

Watch points

Few red flags. No obvious weaknesses in the current-season profile — consistency is the next test.

Outlook

Rated 60.8 overall — a strong, regular top-tier starter. Defensively he reads as solid defensive volume (3.95 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Approaching peak years; value is still building (price multiplier 1.9×) with the best seasons likely ahead. With this floor already at 22, the ceiling gets tested by a step up in level — one to track.

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %95.1%

Available fixtures41 of 41

Goals / 900

Assists / 900.026

Goal contribution / 900.026

Defensive actions / 903.95

Player flow

Goal involvements1

Cards / 900.103

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~20), then tapers with age. At 22, Smets sits on 19.3, still climbing toward its peak. The blue line is Smets's projected Rating — 60.8 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among centre-backs in the Jupiler Pro League with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals0

Passing

Assists1

Defending

Tackles70

Interceptions53

Blocks31

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards4

Red cards0

Transfer history

GenkJun 2024 – now

St. Truidenuntil Jun 2024

About M. Smets

Matte Smets is a 22-year-old centre-back who plays for Genk, born on January 4, 2004 in Bilzen, standing 184 cm tall. He is from Belgium. Genk currently sit 9th of 18 in the Jupiler Pro League.

This season

In the current season, M. Smets has made 2 appearances with 0 goals and 0 assists across 180 minutes, averaging a 6.85 match rating over his last 2 rated games.

Recent matches

August 22, 2026: 4-4 draw away at Antwerp (79 minutes, 7.5 rating)
August 15, 2026: 3-2 win at home vs KVC Westerlo (90 minutes, 6.2 rating)

M. Smets's next match is on August 28, 2026, when Genk face SK Beveren at home in the Jupiler Pro League.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates M. Smets at 60.8 with a Season form score of 38.5. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

Career

Across 5 recorded seasons, M. Smets has totalled 157 club appearances with 0 goals and 1 assist for 2 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2025/26, with 39 appearances for Genk.

M. Smets's career has also included time at St. Truiden.

On the international stage, M. Smets has represented Belgium and Belgium U21 — 2 caps in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.