⬡ AI DNA · Live season

St. Pauli· 2025/2026 · Bundesliga · PARTIAL

Best Alternatives to Eric Smith

Centre BackSweden29y€5.0MFull profile →

Ball-Playing CBBall-PlayingAerial

1.40Tkl/90

0.78KP/90

Based on 2,313 min · 2025/2026 · Bundesliga · PARTIAL

Ranked by AI DNA similarity — playing style, pressing, and tactical fit. Below: the closest replacements with per-90 stats and form.

DNA matchPrioritizes Bundesliga & top-tier peers

Top 3 alternatives to Eric Smith

Tobias Müller86% match
Magdeburg · Bundesliga · €5.0M
Stefan Posch85% match
FSV Mainz 05 · Bundesliga · €5.5M
Joël Schmied85% match
FC Köln · Bundesliga · €3.5M

Ranked by RT Player DNA + league/value credibility. Scroll for full list, per-90 stats, and share cards.

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Playing Style Analysis

Ball-Playing CBBall-PlayingAerial

A Ball-Playing CB. Statistically, he stands out as commanding in the air (4.1 clearances/90), wins the physical battle (58% duel success), penetrates with forward passing (9.5 final-third passes/90), central to possession (73 touches/90), uses long balls frequently (8.0/90) and active off the ball (2.6 press score/90), contributing to defensive transitions. The three closest DNA matches to Eric Smith:

Tobias Müller(86% match) — A Ball-Playing CB. Statistically, he stands out as commanding in the air (4.6 clearances/90), meticulous in distribution (94% pass accuracy), heavily involved in possession (63 passes/90), central to possession (74 touches/90) and switches play with precision (5.9 long balls/90, 75% accuracy).
Stefan Posch(85% match) — A Physical Stopper. Statistically, he stands out as an aggressive ball-winner (3.0 tackles/90), commanding in the air (5.7 clearances/90), wins the physical battle (64% duel success), penetrates with forward passing (8.1 final-third passes/90), uses long balls frequently (8.1/90), active off the ball (2.6 press score/90), contributing to defensive transitions and top 10% tackler in the league.
Joël Schmied(85% match) — A Ball-Playing CB. Statistically, he stands out as commanding in the air (4.1 clearances/90) and meticulous in distribution (88% pass accuracy).

Similarity uses per-90 performance across playing-style dimensions. How Player DNA matching works →

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Similar Players — Ranked by DNA Similarity

Tobias Müller

Magdeburg · Bundesliga

Germany31y

Tkl/901.65

KP/900.35

Ball-Playing CBBall-PlayingSteady form

vs Smith: 2y older

86% match

€5.0M

Compare Smith vs Müller →

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the best alternatives to Eric Smith?▼

The top alternatives to Eric Smith based on AI DNA playing style analysis include: Tobias Müller, Stefan Posch, Joël Schmied, Tomas Kalas, Cédric Zesiger. These players were matched using Rising Transfers' 768-dimension DNA model across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit — not just position or market value.

Which players are similar to Eric Smith in 2026?▼

Players with a similar profile to Eric Smith in 2026 include Tobias Müller (€5.0M), Stefan Posch (€5.5M), Joël Schmied (€3.5M). For a deeper DNA-level comparison including playing style, physical attributes, and tactical fit, ask Rising Transfers' AI directly.

What position does Eric Smith play and who plays similarly?▼

Eric Smith plays as a Defender. Players with a comparable positional profile include Tobias Müller (Germany, €5.0M); Stefan Posch (Austria, €5.5M); Joël Schmied (Switzerland, €3.5M); Tomas Kalas (Czech Republic, €9.0M).

How does Rising Transfers find similar players?▼

Rising Transfers uses a proprietary 768-dimension Player DNA model trained on 3.2 million match events. Each player is represented as a vector across 35+ per-90 metrics including pressing intensity, passing footprint, dribbling profile, and defensive contribution. Similarity is measured using cosine distance — the same technique used in state-of-the-art AI systems — making it the most precise player comparison tool available publicly.

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