# Kim Min-jae (김민재) (footballer)
**Kim Min-jae** (김민재; born 1996 in Tongyeong, South Korea) is a South Korean professional footballer who plays as a center-back for [FC Bayern Munich](https://www.edgepedia.org/fc-bayern-munich) in the [Bundesliga](https://www.edgepedia.org/bundesliga) and for the South Korea national team. He won the 2022/23 [Serie A](https://www.edgepedia.org/serie-a) title with Napoli, was named that season's best defender in Serie A, and joined Bayern in July 2023 for a reported €42 million.[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/first-team/minjae-kim) • [2](https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/players/minjae-kim/transfer-history)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1996, Tongyeong, South Korea[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/first-team/minjae-kim) |
| Physical profile | 1.90 m, 85 kg, right-footed[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/first-team/minjae-kim) |
| Current club | Bayern Munich, signed 18 July 2023, contract to 30 June 2028[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/first-team/minjae-kim) |
| Transfer fees | Fenerbahçe to Napoli €19M (2022); Napoli to Bayern €42M (2023)[2](https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/players/minjae-kim/transfer-history) |
| Major honors | Serie A 2023; Bundesliga 2025 and 2026; K League 1 2017 and 2018[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/first-team/minjae-kim) |
| Individual awards | Serie A "Miglior difensore" 2022/23; South Korean Footballer of the Year 2023[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/first-team/minjae-kim) |
| International | Senior South Korea international; played at the 2022 and 2026 World Cups[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/first-team/minjae-kim) |
| Nickname | "Monster", earned in South Korea for his robust, tough-tackling play[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/first-team/minjae-kim) |
## Early life and path to professional football
Kim grew up in Tongyeong, a coastal city in South Korea's southeast. His route into football was unusual: he did not grow up dreaming of the game, and as a youth he traveled to training camps in a fish truck because his family lacked money, at one point not having enough to buy sneakers. He also overcame several heart problems before establishing himself as a professional.[3](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/kim-min-jae-de-viajar-en-camion-de-pescado-a-poner-en-jaque-a-luis-enrique-n/)
His performances for his hometown club led him to Swan Technical High School, the school that also produced [Park Ji-sung](https://www.edgepedia.org/park-ji-sung), the reference point of Korean football of an earlier generation.[3](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/kim-min-jae-de-viajar-en-camion-de-pescado-a-poner-en-jaque-a-luis-enrique-n/) He began his senior career with Gyeongju KHNP in 2016, a [National League](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-league) club, before moving to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors of K League 1 on 1 January 2017 in a free transfer.[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/first-team/minjae-kim) • [2](https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/players/minjae-kim/transfer-history)
## Club career
**Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (2017–2019).** Signed as a key player, Kim helped Jeonbuk reclaim and then retain the [K League 1](https://www.edgepedia.org/k-league-1) title in 2017 and 2018.[4](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/player-analysis/kim-min-jae-at-napoli-202223-scout-report-tactical-analysis-tactics) • [1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/first-team/minjae-kim) In the 2018 K League 1 season he made 29 league appearances and scored once.[5](https://derbydatahub.com/player/min-jae-kim-2897)
**Beijing Guoan (2019–2021).** In China his physical development and physicality began to pay off, and he was integral to Beijing Guoan's second- and third-place campaigns; his 2020 season there brought 23 appearances.[4](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/player-analysis/kim-min-jae-at-napoli-202223-scout-report-tactical-analysis-tactics) • [5](https://derbydatahub.com/player/min-jae-kim-2897) It was in Asia that he acquired the nickname "El Monstruo" (the Monster), a reference to his 1.90 m, 85 kg frame that surprised teammates.[3](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/kim-min-jae-de-viajar-en-camion-de-pescado-a-poner-en-jaque-a-luis-enrique-n/) His spell in China also first attracted reported interest from Everton and Tottenham Hotspur.[4](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/player-analysis/kim-min-jae-at-napoli-202223-scout-report-tactical-analysis-tactics)
**Fenerbahçe (2021–2022).** [José Mourinho](https://www.edgepedia.org/jose-mourinho) later recounted that he had spoken with Kim several times over FaceTime while trying to bring him to [Tottenham](https://www.edgepedia.org/tottenham), but the deal failed because the player cost 10 million and the club would offer only 5 million. The delay cost Kim a year before his move to Europe.[3](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/kim-min-jae-de-viajar-en-camion-de-pescado-a-poner-en-jaque-a-luis-enrique-n/) In his single season in Istanbul he made 40 appearances and scored once, starting every [Süper Lig](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-lig) fixture when available and playing six full matches in the Europa League group stage.[5](https://derbydatahub.com/player/min-jae-kim-2897) • [4](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/player-analysis/kim-min-jae-at-napoli-202223-scout-report-tactical-analysis-tactics)
**Napoli (2022–2023).** Napoli signed him on 27 July 2022 for €19 million, hijacking a reported £20 million move to Rennes, to replace [Kalidou Koulibaly](https://www.edgepedia.org/kalidou-koulibaly), who had left for Chelsea.[2](https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/players/minjae-kim/transfer-history) • [4](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/player-analysis/kim-min-jae-at-napoli-202223-scout-report-tactical-analysis-tactics) Under Luciano Spalletti he became an immediate starter, making 35 league appearances and scoring twice as Napoli won the 2022/23 Serie A title, the club's first scudetto of the modern era.[6](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/68736/Min_Jae_Kim.html) • [1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/first-team/minjae-kim) He was voted the best defender in Serie A, receiving the "Miglior difensore" award, and became an icon in Italy during the title run.[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/first-team/minjae-kim) • [3](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/kim-min-jae-de-viajar-en-camion-de-pescado-a-poner-en-jaque-a-luis-enrique-n/) A statistical comparison of that season's center-backs found his combined defensive and offensive output surpassed the vast majority of Europe's most highly regarded players in the position.[7](https://www.bruinsportsanalytics.org/journalism/kim-min-jae-the-great-wall-of-napoli)
**Bayern Munich (2023–present).** Bayern signed him on 18 July 2023 for a reported €42 million, and he made 33 appearances with one goal in his first season.[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/first-team/minjae-kim) • [2](https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/players/minjae-kim/transfer-history) • [5](https://derbydatahub.com/player/min-jae-kim-2897) His second season brought 70 appearances and 4 goals across competitions.[5](https://derbydatahub.com/player/min-jae-kim-2897) In November 2024 he scored the decisive headed goal in Bayern's Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain, a performance that put him on the front pages of the German press.[3](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/kim-min-jae-de-viajar-en-camion-de-pescado-a-poner-en-jaque-a-luis-enrique-n/) In the 2025/26 Bundesliga season he kept 8 clean sheets in 25 matches while conceding 21 goals.[8](https://footystats.org/players/south-korea/min-jae-kim) Bayern's position on him has shifted between windows: he was at one point considered a sale candidate, but the club later stated he was no longer one and planned with him going forward.[9](https://sport.sky.de/fussball/artikel/verteidiger-minjae-kim-ist-kein-verkaufskandidat-beim-fc-bayern-mehr/13563042/35311)
## International career
Kim is a senior international who took part in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the 2026 World Cup with South Korea.[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/first-team/minjae-kim) At the 2019 [AFC Asian Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/afc-asian-cup) he was listed among South Korea's top scorers of the qualifying campaign.[10](https://assets.the-afc.com/migration/a/c/AC_2019F_TSG_Report_Interactive_compressed.pdf) Ahead of the 2022 tournament, analysts described South Korea's defense as shaky and arguably over-reliant on his talents, and he was predicted to form the center-back partnership with Kwon Kyung-won in a mature squad.[11](https://www.playmakerstats.com/files/TMD/TMD8_DIGITAL_RED_Bombed.pdf) • [12](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Total-Football-Analysis-Magazine-74-November-2022-2.pdf) For the 2026 World Cup he was named in the final squad alongside Heung-min Son and Kang-in Lee.[13](https://cadenaser.com/nacional/2026/06/02/las-convocatorias-oficiales-de-todas-las-selecciones-que-disputan-el-mundial-2026-cadena-ser/)
## Style of play
Kim is a right-footed center-back known for an imposing physical presence and intelligent defending.[14](https://footballkit.lazada.com.ph/players/kim-min-jae-defensive-radar-metrics/) Scouting analysis of his first European season described him as a complete defender, combining an old-fashioned tough footballer with the modern ball-playing center-back, with above-average game understanding that lets him read opponents' movements and recover large numbers of balls each match.[15](https://www.thescoutingapp.com/blog/scouting-report-kim-min-jae-213) At Napoli he was valued for composed, accurate ball-playing that helped recycle possession and for covering behind the defensive line in rest defense, the structure a team keeps to protect against counter-attacks after losing the ball.[4](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/player-analysis/kim-min-jae-at-napoli-202223-scout-report-tactical-analysis-tactics) His data shows a high success rate in progressive passes under pressure, and analysts trace an evolution from a pure destroyer at Fenerbahçe to a sophisticated ball-player at Napoli and Bayern.[14](https://footballkit.lazada.com.ph/players/kim-min-jae-defensive-radar-metrics/) • [16](https://footballkit.lazada.sg/players/kim-min-jae-defensive-metrics-compare/) Long passing was identified as an area to improve relative to Koulibaly.[4](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/player-analysis/kim-min-jae-at-napoli-202223-scout-report-tactical-analysis-tactics)
His career has also had public low points. In the 2023/24 Champions League semifinal against Real Madrid he was involved in both goals conceded, beaten by [Vinícius Júnior](https://www.edgepedia.org/vinicius-junior) for the first and conceding a penalty for the second, and drew heavy criticism, with Bild's headline reading "Kim Min-Jae ruins the match against Madrid".[17](https://as.com/us/futbol/la-pesadilla-de-kim-min-jae-frente-a-vinicius-y-rodrygo-n/) • [3](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/kim-min-jae-de-viajar-en-camion-de-pescado-a-poner-en-jaque-a-luis-enrique-n/)
## Honours
- K League 1: 2017, 2018 ([Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors](https://www.edgepedia.org/jeonbuk-hyundai-motors))[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/first-team/minjae-kim)
- East Asian Football Championship: 2019 (South Korea)[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/first-team/minjae-kim)
- Serie A: 2023 (Napoli)[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/first-team/minjae-kim)
- Bundesliga: 2025, 2026 (Bayern Munich)[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/first-team/minjae-kim)
- Franz Beckenbauer Supercup: 2025, 2026 (Bayern Munich)[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/first-team/minjae-kim)
- [Individual](https://www.edgepedia.org/individual): Serie A best defender ("Miglior difensore") 2022/23; South Korean Footballer of the Year 2023[1](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/first-team/minjae-kim)
## References
1. [Minjae Kim Spotlight: News, Player Profile & more, FC Bayern München](https://fcbayern.com/en/teams/first-team/minjae-kim)
2. [Min-jae Kim Transfer History with all Clubs, Completed Moves & Fees, FootballTransfers](https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/players/minjae-kim/transfer-history)
3. [Kim Min-Jae, de viajar en camión de pescado a poner en jaque a Luis Enrique, Diario AS](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/kim-min-jae-de-viajar-en-camion-de-pescado-a-poner-en-jaque-a-luis-enrique-n/)
4. [Kim Min-jae Scout Report At Napoli 2022/2023, Total Football Analysis](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/player-analysis/kim-min-jae-at-napoli-202223-scout-report-tactical-analysis-tactics)
5. [Min-Jae Kim, Career stats, Derby Data Hub](https://derbydatahub.com/player/min-jae-kim-2897)
6. [Min-Jae Kim (Player), National Football Teams](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/68736/Min_Jae_Kim.html)
7. [Kim Min-Jae: The Great Wall of Napoli, Bruin Sports Analytics](https://www.bruinsportsanalytics.org/journalism/kim-min-jae-the-great-wall-of-napoli)
8. [Min-Jae Kim Stats, FootyStats](https://footystats.org/players/south-korea/min-jae-kim)
9. [Verteidiger Minjae Kim ist kein Verkaufskandidat beim FC Bayern mehr, Sky Sport](https://sport.sky.de/fussball/artikel/verteidiger-minjae-kim-ist-kein-verkaufskandidat-beim-fc-bayern-mehr/13563042/35311)
10. [AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 Technical Study Group Report](https://assets.the-afc.com/migration/a/c/AC_2019F_TSG_Report_Interactive_compressed.pdf)
11. [South Korea team media guide, playmakerstats](https://www.playmakerstats.com/files/TMD/TMD8_DIGITAL_RED_Bombed.pdf)
12. [Total Football Analysis Magazine 74, November 2022](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Total-Football-Analysis-Magazine-74-November-2022-2.pdf)
13. [Las convocatorias oficiales de todas las selecciones que disputan el Mundial 2026, Cadena SER](https://cadenaser.com/nacional/2026/06/02/las-convocatorias-oficiales-de-todas-las-selecciones-que-disputan-el-mundial-2026-cadena-ser/)
14. [Kim Min-jae's Defensive Radar: Decoding the Metrics Behind an Elite Modern Centre-Back, FootballKit](https://footballkit.lazada.com.ph/players/kim-min-jae-defensive-radar-metrics/)
15. [Scouting Report: Kim Min-Jae, The Scouting App](https://www.thescoutingapp.com/blog/scouting-report-kim-min-jae-213)
16. [How Do Kim Min-jae's Defensive Metrics Compare to Europe's Elite Centre-Backs?, FootballKit](https://footballkit.lazada.sg/players/kim-min-jae-defensive-metrics-compare/)
17. [La pesadilla de Kim Min-jae frente a Vinicius y Rodrygo, Diario AS](https://as.com/us/futbol/la-pesadilla-de-kim-min-jae-frente-a-vinicius-y-rodrygo-n/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania › East Asian footballers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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