_(cropped).jpg) Smith withLouisville City in 2017 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kyle Joseph Smith[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1992-01-09)January 9, 1992 (age 33) | ||
| Place of birth | Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Orlando City | ||
| Number | 24 | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2010–2013 | Transylvania Pioneers | 76 | (47) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2014–2015 | Cincinnati Dutch Lions | 27 | (12) |
| 2016–2018 | Louisville City | 85 | (8) |
| 2019– | Orlando City | 178 | (4) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of October 18, 2025 | |||
Kyle Joseph Smith (born January 9, 1992) is an American professionalsoccer player who plays as adefender forMajor League Soccer clubOrlando City.
Smith was born inCincinnati, Ohio and attended high school atLa Salle.[3] Smith played varsity soccer at La Salle for four years and was named to theGreater Catholic League South All League Second Team in 2008 and First Team in 2009.[4] In 2009, he was named Greater Catholic League South soccer player of the year.[5]
Smith played four years ofcollege soccer atTransylvania University between 2010 and 2013, scoring a total of 47 goals during his four years.[3] As aJunior, he set a Transylvania single season record with for both goals and points with 18 and 40 respectively.[6] As aSenior, Smith scored 18 goals with 8 assists[7] earningHeartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Offensive MVP during his final seasons.[3] He left Transylvania as the team's all-time leading in goals, assists, and points.[8]
After graduation, Smith played two seasons withPremier Development League expansion sideCincinnati Dutch Lions in both 2014 and 2015.[9] In 2015 he was second in the PDL with eleven goals scored over 14 matches.[10] He left the Dutch Lions as their all-time leader in goals, assists, and points with twelve, eight and thirty-two respectively, as well having set their season records in those categories in 2015.[11]
After a successful trial Smith signed his first professional contract withUnited Soccer League sideLouisville City on March 14[12] and he made his professional debut on March 26 againstCharlotte.[13] He went on to appear in 26 of Louisville's 30 league matches with one goal that he scored on May 6 againstCharleston.[14] He also appeared in one of Louisville's twoU.S. Open Cup matches as well as all three of Louisville's USL Cup Playoff matches. Although he didn't score in regulation time during any of the USL Cup matches, he converted the first shot of thepenalty shoot-out in theEastern Conference final againstNew York Red Bulls II. A match that Louisville would go on to lose.[15] During the season he was named USL mid-season Rookie of the Year.[16]
Smith remained with Louisville and made his season debut March 25 againstSaint Louis FC.[17] He appeared in 27 of Louisville's 32 league matches. Missing three matches while suspended for violent conduct[18] and scoring four goals. He also appeared in one of Louisville's twoUS Open Cup matches as all four of Louisville's USL Cup Playoff matches. Although he didn't score in regulation time during any of the USL Cup matches, he converted the first shot of the penalty shoot-out in theEastern Conference final againstNew York Red Bulls II.[19] Smith and Louisville won the USL Cup Final againstSwope Park Rangers, with Smith being named Midseason USL Defender of the Year.[20][21]
.jpg)
Smith had his contract renewed with Louisville[22] and he made his season debut on March 17 against USL expansion sideNashville SC.[23] He went on to appear in all but one of Louisville's 34 league matches and had more minutes played than any other Louisville player.[24] He scored his first goal of the season on April 14 againstRichmond[25] and he went on to score three goals in USL competition. He also appeared in all five of Louisville'sU.S. Open Cup matches scoring one goal as Louisville reached the quarter-finals of the competition for the first time in its history.[26] This included a 3–2 victory overMajor League Soccer clubNew England Revolution; Louisville's first victory over an MLS side.[27] He also appeared in all four of Louisville'sUSL Cup playoff matches going goalless. Smith and Louisville went on to win the USL Cup Final for the second consecutive season, this time againstPhoenix Rising.[28]
On December 19, 2018, Smith moved to Major League Soccer sideOrlando City, reuniting him with head coachJames O'Connor who had left Louisville earlier in the year.[29] Smith made his first appearance for the club in the first match of the2019 season when he started in a 2–2 draw againstNew York City FC on March 2 before he was taken off as a 69th-minute substitute forDom Dwyer.[30]
On March 29, 2021, Smith signed a new two-year deal with Orlando City, keeping him with the club through the end of the2022 with an option for 2023.[31] On July 30, Smith scored his first goal for the club when he scored the opener of a 3–2 win overAtlanta United.[32]
On May 27, 2022, Smith was fined by the MLS Disciplinary Committee for his role in a confrontation between Orlando City andAustin FC players following a match between them five days earlier.[33] On December 5, Orlando City announced that they had re-signed Smith to a one-year deal for the2023 season with an option for 2024.[34]
On February 27, 2024, Smith scored his first goal in international play when he scored the final goal of a 3–1 win overCavalry FC in the2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup.[35] On December 13, it was announced that Smith had signed a 1-year contract which guaranteed him until the end of the2025 season.[36] On November 17, 2025, the team announced that they were in contract negotiations with Smith.[37][38]
Smith graduated fromTransylvania University with a degree in accounting and worked as anaccountant for theUniversity of Cincinnati College of Medicine after graduation and before signing his first professional soccer contract. He is currently studying for theCPA exam and plans to be an accountant after retiring from soccer.[21]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Continental[b] | Playoffs | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Cincinnati Dutch Lions | 2014 | Premier Development League | 13 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 13 | 1 | ||||
| 2015 | 14 | 11 | — | — | — | — | 14 | 11 | ||||||
| Total | 27 | 12 | — | — | — | — | 27 | 12 | ||||||
| Louisville City | 2016 | USL Championship | 25 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | — | 29 | 1 | ||
| 2017 | 27 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | — | 32 | 4 | ||||
| 2018 | 33 | 3 | 5 | 1 | — | 4 | 0 | — | 42 | 4 | ||||
| Total | 85 | 8 | 7 | 1 | — | 11 | 0 | — | 103 | 9 | ||||
| Orlando City | 2019 | Major League Soccer | 23 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 24 | 0 | |||
| 2020 | 16 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 4[c] | 0 | 22 | 0 | ||||
| 2021 | 27 | 1 | — | — | — | 1[d] | 0 | 28 | 1 | |||||
| 2022 | 29 | 2 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | 35 | 2 | |||||
| 2023 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3[d] | 0 | 32 | 1 | ||
| 2024 | 29 | 0 | — | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2[d] | 0 | 40 | 1 | |||
| 2025 | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 5[d] | 0 | 35 | 0 | |||
| Total | 178 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 216 | 5 | ||
| Career total | 290 | 24 | 15 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 236 | 26 | ||
Louisville City FC
Orlando City
Media related toKyle Smith (soccer, born 1992) at Wikimedia Commons
