Mats Rits

Mats Rits

Personal information
Full name	Mats Rits
Date of birth	(1993-07-18) 18 July 1993 (age 28)
Place of birth	Antwerp, Belgium
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Central midfielder
Club information
Current team	Club Brugge
Number	26
Youth career
1999–2001
2001–2004	Lierse
2004–2009	Germinal Beerschot
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2009–2011	Germinal Beerschot	23	(2)
2011–2013	Ajax	0	(0)
2013–2018	Mechelen	155	(16)
2018–	Club Brugge	93	(10)
National team‡
2008	Belgium U15	7	(3)
2008–2009	Belgium U16	12	(3)
2008–2009	Belgium U17	5	(1)
2011–2012	Belgium U19	6	(2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 01:04, 14 May 2021 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 11:12, 4 October 2018 (UTC)

Mats Rits (born 18 July 1993) is a Belgian professional footballer, who currently plays for Club Brugge. He made his professional debut at age 16 at Germinal Beerschot, where he was formed. He then moved to the famed Ajax academy system before moving back to his native Belgium to play in the Belgian First Division A.

Career[]

K.F.C. Germinal Beerschot[]

Rits made his debut at the highest level of Belgian football in a 3–1 win over VC Westerlo. He came on the pitch in the 30th minute as a replacement for the injured Daniel Cruz. Mats Rits scored the equalizer and the last goal of the match.

During his youth career, several bigger clubs showed interest in the Belgium youth international, who had captained his country at the Under-17 level. RSC Anderlecht, Real Madrid, and Ajax were all clubs that expressed an interest in Rits.^[1]

AFC Ajax[]

On the 28th of June 2011, Rits would go on to sign a contract with Ajax.^[2] He scored his first goal for Ajax in a friendly match against VV Buitenpost on 2 July 2011 in the '75 minute, with the match ending in a 0–4 away win for Ajax. Four days later on 6 July 2011, Mats Rits scored an additional two goals in the '64 and '70 minute in a friendly fixture against AZSV Aalten. The match ended in a 0–11 away win for the Amsterdam side. Suffering a back injury during practice, Mats Rits was sidelined for the entire 2011–12 season, and for the first half of the 2012–13 season. He appeared in a couple more friendly fixtures for Ajax while recuperating, but was unable to find his way back into the A-Selection. On 9 October 2012, Mats Rits scored the only goal for Ajax in a 1–1 draw at home, in the '76 minute, in a friendly match against AS Trenčín from Slovakia.

KV Mechelen[]

Unable to break through into the first team in Amsterdam following his injury, Mats Rits returned to Belgium, signing a 2,5 year contract with KV Mechelen during the Winter transfer window, on 6 January 2013.^[3]

Club Brugge[]

In the 2018 Summer transfer window, Rits was transferred to Club Brugge.^[4]

Career statistics[]

As of 14 March 2013

Honours[]

Club[]

Ajax

• Eredivisie: 2011–12^[5]

Club Brugge

• Belgian First Division A: 2019–20, 2020–21^[6]
• Belgian Super Cup: 2018, 2021^[7]

References[]

External links[]

• Player info at the official Germinal Beerschot website (in Dutch)
• Player info at sporza.be (in Dutch)
• Belgium stats at Belgian FA
• Mats Rits at Soccerway