Showing2026/27 seasonAll official competitions
Preferred Positions
Last 24 months · all competitions
LB
Left-backMain
5,300 min · 83 apps · 58 starts
LW
Left wing
1,152 min · 15 apps · 15 starts
Squad importance
Current squad importance over the club’s last 40 recorded competitive games in this spell, including previous seasons. Starts and minutes contribute 70%; performance contributes 30%. Absences reduce the score gradually, with less weight when a player is outside the matchday squad.Current role at Brighton · independent of the season filter
Rotation
Involvement54%
Performance51%
Through the match on 5 Nov 2026. Refreshed daily.
Profile
Career & playing style
Maxim De Cuyper is a Belgian left-back whose attacking game combines delivery from the flank with runs into the penalty area. His crossing and set pieces can supply teammates, while switches of play move the attack to the opposite side. He also offers a different route forward by running inside a winger rather than always going around the outside.
That movement was visible when he scored for Club Brugge against Aston Villa in the Champions League in March 2025. He arrived inside the box and finished first time at the far post. Brighton's analysis of his game also highlighted a Belgium goal built around a one-two with Jérémy Doku: the pass released De Cuyper to run beyond him and finish the move himself.
De Cuyper developed in Club Brugge's academy and captained their under-19 side in the UEFA Youth League. His senior debut came against Manchester United in the Europa League in 2020. A two-season loan at Westerlo, from 2021 to 2023, took him through the club's promotion to Belgium's top division before he returned to Brugge and established himself in the team.
His return brought both domestic success and deeper European experience. Brugge won the Belgian league in 2023/24 and reached the Conference League semi-finals that season. They added the Belgian Cup in 2025, while De Cuyper started every match of their Champions League campaign as they reached the last 16.
He moved to Brighton & Hove Albion in July 2025. On announcing the signing, Fabian Hürzeler identified him primarily as a left-back but also emphasised his ability to play elsewhere. That flexibility fits the combination shown at Brugge: someone who can deliver the final pass from wide areas or become an extra receiver closer to goal.
His senior Belgium debut came in the 2–0 win over Montenegro in June 2024. He was selected for that summer's European Championship without appearing in a match. At the 2026 World Cup, he played during Belgium's run to the quarter-finals and started the 2–1 defeat by Spain that ended their tournament.
Latest stats & form
Maxim De Cuyper currently plays for Brighton as a left-back. He has represented Belgium internationally.
Statistics cover recorded official matches.