Jens_Cools
Jens Cools
Belgian footballer (born 1990)
Jens Cools (born 16 October 1990) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Lierse. He gained two caps for the Belgium under-21 team.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1990-10-16) 16 October 1990 (age 33) | ||
| Place of birth | Westerlo, Belgium | ||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Lierse | ||
| Number | 26 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1997–2010 | Westerlo | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2010–2016 | Westerlo | 147 | (10) |
| 2016–2018 | Waasland-Beveren | 49 | (5) |
| 2018–2019 | Pafos | 25 | (6) |
| 2019–2022 | Eupen | 73 | (3) |
| 2022 | Al-Riyadh | 7 | (1) |
| 2023– | Lierse | 23 | (1) |
| International career | |||
| 2011 | Belgium U21 | 2 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 April 2024 | |||
Westerlo
In the 2009–10 season, Cools was promoted from the youth academy to the first team of Westerlo, the club from the municipality where he grew up.[2] He made his professional debut one season later. After having played for six seasons in the first team, Cools' contract expired at the end of the 2015–16 season, as a result of which he left Westerlo on a free transfer.[2] A key player of the club during his time there, Cools managed to make 161 appearances for the club, in which he scored 12 goals.[1]
Waasland-Beveren
On 1 July 2016, Cools moved Waasland-Beveren after having been convinced by their manager Stijn Vreven. Cools signed a two-year contract.[3] He made 51 appearances for the club during his two seasons there, in which he scored two goals.[1]
Pafos
After two seasons, he chose to accept an offer from Cypriot club Pafos.[4] He experienced a strong season there in which he scored six goals in 25 appearances.[1]
Eupen
After playing in Cyprus for one season, Cools expressed a wish to return to his home country.[5] On 16 July 2019, Eupen announced that he had signed a three-year contract with them.[6] In his first season there, he made 27 appearances and scored one goal.[1]
In October 2020, he tested positive for SARS‑CoV‑2 during the COVID-19 pandemic.[7] Despite being sidelined for some time with the disease, Cools made 26 appearances and scored one goal during the 2020–21 season,[1] as Eupen finished mid-table in a disappointing 12th place.[8]
Al-Riyadh
On 26 July 2022, Cools joined Saudi Arabian club Al-Riyadh.[9][10] In December 2022, he was released by the club due to repeated injuries.[11]
Lierse
On 7 January 2023, Cools signed a year-and-a-half contract with Lierse.[12]
Cools was called into the Belgian under-21 squad in March 2011. He made his debut for the Belgium under-21s on 24 March, replacing Luis Pedro Cavanda in the 82nd minute of a 1–0 win against Scotland.[13][14]
Club
- As of 18 May 2019
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Westerlo | 2010–11 | Pro League | 21 | 0 | 5 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 26 | 0 |
| 2011–12 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 1 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
| 2012–13 | Proximus League | 26 | 3 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 28 | 3 | |
| 2013–14 | 29 | 3 | 4 | 2 | – | – | – | – | 33 | 5 | ||
| 2014–15 | Pro League | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 28 | 0 | |
| 2015–16 | 28 | 4 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 30 | 4 | ||
| Total | 147 | 10 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 161 | 12 | ||
| Waasland-Beveren | 2016–17 | First Division A | 36 | 4 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 37 | 4 |
| 2017–18 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 14 | 1 | ||
| Total | 49 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 5 | ||
| Pafos | 2018–19 | Cypriot First Division | 25 | 6 | 3 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 28 | 7 |
| Career total | 221 | 21 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 240 | 24 | ||
- Jens Cools at Soccerway
- "Waasland-Beveren haalt Jens Cools weg bij Westerlo". Het Nieuwsblad (in Flemish). 2016-05-06.
- Collard, Timothy (2016-06-17). "Één van de opmerkelijkste transfers in België: "Na 19 jaar was het tijd om de stap te zetten"". Voetbalkrant.com (in Dutch).
- "Jens Cools 2 jaar naar Paphos". RTV (in Dutch). 2018-08-05.
- t'Sjoen, Arjan (2019-07-19). "Jens Cools is terug in België: "Ik wil met Eupen een goed seizoen draaien in 1A"". Voetbalkrant.com (in Dutch).
- Elst, Maarten (2019-07-16). "Eupen haalt ervaren Jens Cools terug naar België". Gazet van Antwerpen (in Flemish).
- Wens, Nils (2020-10-22). "Het coronavirus vindt nu ook zijn weg naar KAS Eupen: middenvelder heeft positief getest". Voetbalkrant.com (in Dutch).
- "Benat San José stopt bij Eupen, ex-speler Luis Garcia in beeld als opvolger". Het Nieuwsblad (in Flemish). 2021-04-26.
- "الرياض يخالص كولس" [Riyadh released Cools]. arriyadiyah.com (in Arabic). KSA Sport. 28 December 2022.
- "JENS COOLS NAAR LIERSE" (in Dutch). Lierse. 7 January 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- "Belgium U21 1-0 Scotland U21". BBC. 24 March 2011. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- "Internationale wedstrijden – KBVB". RBFA. Retrieved 3 December 2022.