Mats Rits returns to Beerschot.Men27 AugAfter fifteen years, Mats Rits returns to where it all began for him. The 33-year-old midfielder has signed a three-year contract at the Beerschot. Mats Rits is back home. The midfielder came through Beerschot’s youth academy and made his first-team debut for the Mannekes at just 16 years old. It was a debut that would immediately become one to remember.
After Daniel Cruz was forced off injured, the young Rits came on against Westerlo. Mats repaid the coach’s faith with two goals and immediately put himself in the spotlight.
After breaking into the first team, an adventure abroad followed. Rits moved to the Dutch capital and signed for Ajax. The move to Amsterdam proved challenging at that stage of his career, and he returned to Belgium in 2013. At KV Mechelen, the midfielder rediscovered his best form. Over five seasons, Rits developed into one of the standout players in Belgian football. His strong performances earned him a transfer to Club Brugge in the summer of 2018. At Club Brugge, Rits enjoyed the most successful period of his career. In six seasons, he won no fewer than three league titles and two Belgian Cups. He also competed at the highest level in European football, making appearances in the Champions League.
In 2024, a new challenge in the Belgian capital followed at RSC Anderlecht. Rits once again featured on the European stage and added even more experience to his impressive career. After almost 500 professional appearances and 26 Champions League matches, Mats Rits now returns to the Kiel. Fifteen years after winning the hearts of the Beerschot supporters as a teenage debutant, it is time for a new chapter in his career.
Mats Rits: “It feels very special to return to Beerschot after all these years. This is where my story as a professional footballer began, and I have always maintained a special connection with the club and its supporters. I have experienced and learned so much over the past fifteen years, but the feeling of coming home is very difficult to describe. I am incredibly excited to play at the Kiel again, this time with all the experience I have gained throughout my career. I want to give something back to the club and the supporters and create some great memories together.”
Sporting Director Murat Akin: “Mats Rits is a player who needs no introduction. His career speaks for itself. He has played at the highest level, won trophies and gained a tremendous amount of European experience. But just as importantly, Mats knows what Beerschot means. He knows the club, the Kiel and the expectations that come with playing here. The fact that he has chosen to return to his home says a lot about his connection with Beerschot. We are incredibly proud to welcome a player of his calibre back to the club in purple and white.”
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