# Sven Kums

Sven Kums (born 26 February 1988) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Gent. He represented Belgium internationally at youth levels U18 through U21.

## Club career
### Early career

Born in Asse, Kums began his career at Dilbeek Sport, before joining Anderlecht in 1996.

### Anderlecht

He played in the youth and reserve teams for 10 years, and in 2006 he became part of the first team. In the first half of the 2006–07 season he did not feature in a single first team game. He was hoping to finally get a chance to play for Anderlecht's first team, but ended up playing for the second team every week.

#### Lierse (loan)

In January 2007, Kums moved to Lierse S.K. on loan. He made his debut in professional football on 10 February 2007 against FC Brussels. Kums played 14 games during his loan spell, scoring one goal. Lierse were relegated, and Kums returned to Anderlecht.

#### Kortrijk (loan)

In January 2008 he joined Second Division team K.V. Kortrijk on loan. There, Kums played 16 games, scoring 5 goals, helping KVK win the title and secure promotion to the Belgian Pro League.

### Kortrijk

In June 2008, Kortrijk signed him to a permanent deal.

### Heerenveen

In March 2011, sc Heerenveen announced that Kums would join their team for the 2011–12 season, the transfer fee was rumoured to be around €500.000. He played his first match in the Eredivisie on 6 August 2011 against NEC.
After two relatively successful seasons with Heerenveen, Kums returned to Belgium, signing a three-season deal with SV Zulte Waregem.

### Zulte Waregem

He signed for Zulte Waregem in 2013. In one season for Essevee, he played 41 games, scoring 5 goals. The team finished 4th, and Kums' performances didn't go unnoticed.

### Gent

On 1 July 2014, KAA Gent announced that Kums would join their squad that summer, signing a four-year contract. Kums had a successful season, and for the first time in club history, Ghent became Belgian champions.

### Watford and Udinese

On 29 August 2016, Kums was sold to Watford but immediately sent on a season-long loan deal to Udinese.

### Return to Anderlecht

On 2 June 2017, it was announced that Anderlecht acquired Kums from Watford. In his debut against Bayern Munich away in the UEFA Champions League, he was sent off after just 11 minutes.

#### Gent (loan)

On 21 August 2019, he rejoined Gent on loan.

## International career

On 5 September 2008, Kums made his debut for the Belgium U21 national team against Slovakia.
On 2 October 2015, senior national team coach Marc Wilmots announced that he would call up Kums, along with teammates Matz Sels and Laurent Depoitre, for the international games against Andorra and Israel.

## Personal life

His father Ludo Kums is youth coach at his current club R.S.C. Anderlecht.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 9 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National Cup | National Cup | Europe | Europe | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Lierse (loan) | 2006–07 | Belgian Pro League | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 14 | 1 |
| Kortrijk (loan) | 2007–08 | Belgian Second Division | 16 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 18 | 5 |
| Kortrijk | 2008–09 | Belgian Pro League | 33 | 7 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 36 | 7 |
| Kortrijk | 2009–10 | Belgian Pro League | 29 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 0 | 42 | 1 |
| Kortrijk | 2010–11 | Belgian Pro League | 28 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 31 | 2 |
| Kortrijk | Kortrijk total | Kortrijk total | 106 | 15 | 11 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 0 | 127 | 15 |
| Heerenveen | 2011–12 | Eredivisie | 33 | 2 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 38 | 3 |
| Heerenveen | 2012–13 | Eredivisie | 32 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 39 | 2 |
| Heerenveen | 2013–14 | Eredivisie | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| Heerenveen | Total | Total | 69 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 81 | 5 |
| Zulte Waregem | 2013–14 | Belgian Pro League | 21 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 41 | 5 |
| Gent | 2014–15 | Belgian Pro League | 17 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 1 | 29 | 1 |
| Gent | 2015–16 | Belgian Pro League | 30 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 52 | 16 |
| Gent | 2016–17 | Belgian Pro League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 |
| Gent | Total | Total | 52 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 19 | 2 | 89 | 17 |
| Udinese (loan) | 2016–17 | Serie A | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 29 | 0 |
| Anderlecht | 2017–18 | Belgian Pro League | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 43 | 0 |
| Anderlecht | 2018–19 | Belgian Pro League | 21 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 35 | 5 |
| Anderlecht | Total | Total | 46 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 78 | 5 |
| Gent | 2019–20 | Belgian Pro League | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 1 |
| Gent | 2020–21 | Belgian Pro League | 30 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 45 | 3 |
| Gent | 2021–22 | Belgian Pro League | 32 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 54 | 3 |
| Gent | 2022–23 | Belgian Pro League | 32 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 53 | 4 |
| Gent | 2023–24 | Belgian Pro League | 23 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 45 | 2 |
| Gent | 2024–25 | Belgian Pro League | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 3 |
| Gent | Total | Total | 158 | 9 | 13 | 2 | 64 | 4 | 26 | 1 | 261 | 16 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 495 | 49 | 48 | 5 | 93 | 6 | 84 | 4 | 720 | 64 |
* ↑ Includes Belgian Cup, KNVB Cup
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 Appearance(s) in play-off
* 1 2 3 4 5 Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
* 1 2 Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
* ↑ One appearance in the Belgian Super Cup, nine appearances and one goal in play-off
* ↑ One appearance in the Belgian Super Cup, ten appearances in play-off
* ↑ One appearance in the UEFA Champions League, six appearances in UEFA Europa League
* 1 2 3 Appearance(s) in UEFA Conference League
* ↑ Two appearances in the UEFA Europa League, eleven appearances and one goal in UEFA Conference League
* ↑ One appearance in the Belgian Super Cup, six appearances and one goal in play-off
* ↑ Appearances in play-off

## Honours

Gent
* Belgian Pro League: 2014–15
* Belgian Cup: 2021–22
* Belgian Super Cup: 2015
Anderlecht
* Belgian Super Cup: 2017
Individual
* UEFA Champions League Team of the Group Stage: 2015
* Belgian Golden Shoe: 2015
* Honorary Citizen of Dilbeek: 2016