Eric Smith was born on 8 January 1997 in Halmstad, Sweden. He came through Halmstads BK and signed with IFK Norrköping in January 2016, where he won the Allsvenskan with the senior squad in his first season. After moving to KAA Gent in 2018 and loan spells at Tromsø (Norway) and IFK Norrköping again, Gent loaned him to FC St. Pauli in January 2021, where he made the move permanent that summer.
At St. Pauli, Smith became one of Hamburg's most reliable defenders. Across multiple 2. Bundesliga seasons he featured in nearly every match, helping the club lift the 2. Bundesliga title in 2023–24 to earn promotion. His 2024–25 debut Bundesliga season brought 32 appearances with a goal and an assist as St. Pauli established themselves in the top flight.
The 2025–26 campaign has been productive: 26 Bundesliga matches with 2 goals and 2 assists, plus 3 DFB-Pokal matches with an assist, anchoring St. Pauli's defence in their second top-flight season.
A 192cm two-footed centre-back with the height to dominate aerially, ball-playing security and the leadership presence of a senior squad member, Smith has been a Sweden senior player and a steady defensive option for Jon Dahl Tomasson's setup. He is one of the most experienced Swedish-based-in-Bundesliga players heading into the 2026 FIFA World Cup.