AZ Alkmaar announces contract renewal for star Kees Smit

AZ Alkmaar have announced the extension of young player Kees Smit's contract until the summer of 2030, after both parties reached a new agreement that ensures the 20-year-old midfielder continues with the team he has been part of since childhood.

Smit signed the new contract in the presence of his family and friends, continuing his journey with AZ Alkmaar, where he joined their academy in 2015 from Dutch club De Forsters, when he was just nine years old, becoming the youngest talent to join the club's academy at that time.

Smit progressed through the youth teams at AZ Alkmaar before making his professional football debut with the Young AZ Alkmaar team just three days after his seventeenth birthday. A year later, he made his first appearance with the first team, gradually becoming a key player, and reaching a total of 84 appearances for the team.

The young midfielder has achieved several notable accomplishments with AZ Alkmaar, including winning the KNVB Cup last season after scoring in the big win against Ajax by six goals to nil. He also found the net in the final match, which ended with AZ Alkmaar defeating NEC Nijmegen by five goals to one. Additionally, he won the Johan Cruyff Cup this season after the victory over PSV Eindhoven.

Kees Smit previously won the UEFA Champions League title for youth and caught attention during the match against FC Barcelona in the Round of 16, when he opened the scoring with a shot from the centre circle, in a match that ended with AZ Alkmaar winning 3-0.

Kees Smit shone with the Netherlands U19 team, contributing to their UEFA European Championship victory after scoring in all of the team's matches leading up to the semi-finals, finishing as the tournament's top scorer and winning the Best Player award. He also participated with the Netherlands U21 team before making his debut with the senior national team in a friendly against Norway in 2026.