“Monster Centerback” Kim Min-jae (28, Bayern Munich) is sweeping various best teams and top ratings with a brilliant performance on the top stage of European soccer.
On the 29th (Korea time), UEFA announced the team of Lee Ju-eun in the fifth round of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League (UCL) league phase on its official website, and Kim Min-jae was proudly listed on par with world-class defenders.
UEFA announced Lee’s team after finishing all five Champions League matches. Kim was selected along with 17-year-old Shin Seong-Fau Kubarthy of Barcelona for the center-back position. UEFA’s technical panel praised Kim’s outstanding performance in both sides of offense and defense, saying, “Kim scored the only winning goal against PSG, leading the team to victory with strong defense.”
Quibin Kelleher (Liverpool) was selected for the goalkeeper’s position, while Rami Bensevaini (Borussia Dortmund) and Yurien Timber (Arnal) were selected for left and right wing backs, while Rade Krunic (Trvena Zvezda), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven), Alexis McAllister (Liverpool) and Florian Birz (Bayel Leverkusen) were in the midfield. The front-line two-top was taken by Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid) and Matteo Lettegi (Atalanta) to form the offensive.
Kim Min-jae played all-round in Game 5 of the League Phase against PSG at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, on the 27th. He scored the only winning goal of the game to lead his team to a 1-0 victory, and in defense, he completely blocked PSG’s offense and showed his appearance as an “iron wall center back.”
In the 38th minute, with a corner taken by Munich, Kim scored his Champions League debut goal by calmly pushing a ball through the header that flowed out of the mix in front of the goal. It became the only goal of the match, and home fans were ecstatic about Kim’s goal. After scoring, he roared and expressed his joy, celebrating the victory with his teammates. 안전놀이터
Kim Min-jae’s presence was also overwhelming in defense. In the first minute of the second half, PSG’s Usman Dembele attempted to break through, but Kim Min-jae’s perfect tackle destroyed the opportunity. In the fifth minute of the second half, he blocked Nunu Mendes’ powerful shot to block additional runs. Just before the match ended, Kim Min-jae scored the last attempt by PSG with a header to complete the scoreless victory. Football statistics firm Footmob gave Kim an 8.3 point rating and named him Player of the Match. It was the highest rating among players who participated in the match.
Soccer statistics media “Huscoordcom” also included Kim in the best 11 in the fifth round of the Champions League. In the fifth round of the league phase, Huscoordcom selected the players with the highest ratings for each position, and Kim scored 8.33 points, the highest rating among center backs.
Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid), Valdemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund), and Alex Grimaldo (Bayel Leverkusen) were on the defensive along with Kim Min-jae. Dmytro Riznik (Shakhtar Donetsk) was chosen as the goalkeeper.
His performance was also highlighted by major European media. German media outlet TZ praised Kim for his iron-clad defense and clutch ability at critical moments, saying, “He showed impeccable performance defensively, and his winning goal brought Munich’s victory.” A score of 1 indicates the highest score in Germany.
British media “Give Me Sports” picked Kim Min-jae as the best player in the game, saying, “No player has influenced the outcome of the game more than Kim Min-jae. The header goal gave Munich the lead, and he defended the team’s victory through a series of performances in defense,” and German media “Bavarian Football” evaluated him as “the perfect Kim Min-jae in every way, including perfect tackle, amazing positioning, clean pass, and winning goal.”
With this performance, Kim Min-jae proved his worth once again, establishing himself as a world-class center back. It proves why Bayern Munich hired Kim Min-jae by paying Napoli a buyout last summer. Currently, Bayern Munich continues its rise in the Champions League and is stepping up its bid to win the title.
Bayern Munich coach Wencesang Kompany also has a big smile thanks to Kim Min-jae’s outstanding performance. In a recent interview, Kompany said, “I am well aware of the difficulties of this position as I was a defender. A defender cannot be evaluated by a single game. Central defenders need at least five to 10 games, and fans and coaching staff will only know his true value after some time.”
