Career
Smirnovs has played 22 international matches for Latvia national football team He debuted in 2002, and played at the Euro 2004. Māris Smirnovs played for Dinaburg Football Club, FK Valmiera, FK Ventspils, Amica Wronki, Football Club Ditton, Dinamo Bucureşti, Górnik Zabrze, FK Jūrmala and Football Club Tranzit.
After the 2010 Latvian Higher League season Smirnovs retired from professional football.
Before the start of the 2012 Latvian First League season Smirnovs was appointed as the assistant manager of FK Ventspils-2. In 2013 he became the assistant manager of FK Ventspils first team