Born on 3 April 1998, Faes emerged through the youth academy at Belgium giants Anderlecht from the age of 14, following in the footsteps of some of the country’s greatest defenders, having previously played for hometown team Rauw Sport Mol and Lierse.
Reaching the semi-finals of the UEFA Youth League in two consecutive seasons between 2014 and 2016, Faes’ leadership skills came to the fore as he captained Anderlecht’s Academy in the latter tournament.
Once his senior career began, after signing a professional contract at Les Mauves et Blancs, the centre-back embarked on a successful loan at Dutch side Heerenveen in 2017, narrowly missing out on European qualification.
This was followed by another temporary spell in Holland, with Excelsior, which ended with 19 appearances in the Eredivisie – the top tier of Netherlands football.
His international career, meanwhile, took off at the 2015 FIFA Under-17s World Cup in Chile, helping Belgium to a third-place finish. Four years on, he starred for Belgium at the UEFA Under-21s European Championships, featuring against Poland and Spain in Italy.
Back to club football, 2018 saw the defender sign a three-year contract with first-tier club Oostende, quickly becoming a regular starter and later netting his first goal against Zulte Waregem, as De Kustboys reached the Belgian Cup Semi-Final in 2018/19.
Some 64 appearances and two years later, Faes, then captain, made the switch to Reims, with 35 appearances and two goals across 2020/21, as well as featuring in the UEFA Europa League qualifiers.
Faes further enhanced his reputation as a leading Ligue 1 player, culminating in receiving the club’s Player of the Season award at the end of a 2021/22 campaign which included playing 39 times in all competitions.
His performances were once again recognised by his country, making his senior Belgium debut as a substitute during a 6-1 victory over Poland, playing alongside Foxes team-mates Timothy Castagne and Youri Tielemans. Since then, several more international caps have followed, starting all eight UEFA EURO 2024 qualifiers as his nation topped Group F, remaining unbeaten throughout, to earn a spot in the finals.
After entering the latest phase of his developing career, following his switch to England, Faes was ready to be a hit in the Premier League for Leicester City, soon displaying his dedicated and impressive displays in defence.
Although unable to prevent the Foxes from suffering relegation in 2022/23, he was a key cog in the Club's resurgence, playing 43 times in the Sky Bet Championship automatic promotion campaign, scoring away at both Blackburn Rovers and Leeds United respectively.