Dutch midfielder Kees Smit dreams of La Liga, reveals admiration for Barcelona icons Messi and Iniesta | OneFootball

The midfield is perhaps the strongest area of this FC Barcelona team, with the likes of Pedri and Frenkie de Jong being fixed starters for the Catalan side, while others like Dani Olmo, Fermin Lopez, Marc Bernal, Gavi, Marc Casado, etc., all being options to play in the middle of the field.

As a result, the Blaugrana team’s midfield is already quite saturated. Still, there are a few highly promising young midfielders attracting attention, and one of them is the Dutch gem, Kees Smit.

In a recent interview with the YouTube channel SuperGaande (via Mundo Deportivo), Smit spoke openly about his career and his affection for Barcelona:

“I really enjoyed watching Barça. I grew up watching Iniesta and Messi, who I consider two of my role models.”

Smit, who has been compared to Pedri by former Barcelona coach and Oranje legend Ronald Koeman, did not hide his desire to play in Spain in the future:

“La Liga. Playing there would be amazing. I love the sun, I’m tired of playing in the cold and rain, so I’d like to go play in Spain.”

The young midfielder admitted that until recently, he never imagined leaving AZ:

“I never considered leaving AZ. My dream was to play here my whole life. Ideally, it would be a step to another Dutch team, but I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

Smit’s admiration for Barcelona is longstanding. Last November, shortly after Koeman drew the comparison with Pedri, he told ESPN:

“I watch all Barcelona matches. It’s simply my favorite club. I love watching Pedri and Frenkie de Jong.”

He added with modesty:

“I understand why people found it a bit of a strange comparison. First it was De Bruyne, and now I’m Pedri, or Frenkie de Jong.”

The midfielder was a leader for AZ when they won the Youth League in 2022-23, performances that caught the attention of top clubs including Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Notably, his team defeated Barcelona 3-0 and Real Madrid 4-0 in the youth competition, results that left a strong impression.

Despite interest from Real Madrid, Kees Smit has remained focused on Barcelona. He is under contract with AZ until 2028 and has contributed four goals and six assists this season in official competitions.