‘Iron pillar’ Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich) is a ‘mature leader’ according to coach Jürgen Klinsmann.
Klinsmann’s South Korea national soccer team (ranked 26th in the FIFA rankings) thrashed Tunisia (ranked 29th) 4-0 in the Hana Bank Invitational National Friendly at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Wednesday, with Lee Kang-in scoring a brace and Hwang Eui-jo a brace, while resting Son Heung-min.
Klinsmann, who tasted his first win in six games last month against Saudi Arabia (1-0), extended his winning streak to four games with his first home victory since taking over.
Among the four goals scored on the day was a header from ‘Defender’ Kim Min-jae.
Kim, who neutralized the Tunisian counterattack with his overwhelming physicality, power, and blistering speed, scored a header from the box in the 22nd minute of the second half for a 2-0 lead. He took a corner kick from Lee Kang-in, who had scored two goals earlier, with his head and deflected it past the opposing defender (Yasine Meria). It was a moment of bold attacking and header ability on set pieces.
Unfortunately, Kim’s goal was later corrected in the official scorebook as an own goal by Tunisian center back Meria. It was ruled that the goal was scored after Kim Min-jae’s header hit Meria’s body. The A-match goal, which came four years after the 2019 Asian Cup against China, was erased.
When we spoke to Kim Min-jae after the game, he wasn’t bothered at all.
“It doesn’t bother me. It’s more meaningful to win with a clean sheet,” he said, and when asked about his high praise as a defender, he said, “I don’t want to be the only one in the spotlight. It’s not just me, but all of our defenders working together and communicating since training,” he said, showing his leadership qualities.
Kim wore the captain’s armband in place of Son Heung-min (Tottenham), who did not play due to illness.
After undergoing basic military training this summer, Kim left Napoli (Serie A) for Bayern Munich (Bundesliga), where he quickly became a regular starter and has started every game in the league and UEFA Champions League.
When asked if he was physically tired, he put other players first.
“I will return to my team after the A match in October and take care of my body again so that I can have an injury-free season,” said Kim Min-jae. “It’s hard for all players. I think it’s even harder for the K League players because it’s the end of the season. I hope everyone manages their physical fitness well and finishes the season without injuries.”메이저놀이터
As he matured, Kim became more than just the leader of the defense line, but also the leader of the team.
Coach Klinsmann also recognized his leadership qualities. Coach Klinsmann said, “Kim Min-jae is already a leader. “It’s important for him to be a leader on the field, but he’s also a leader off the field. Everything he does helps the younger players. We need more leaders like him. Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae are leaders who will play a central role in the future,” he said, giving them a thumbs-up.
After the match against Tunisia, South Korea will face Vietnam four days later at 8 p.m. on Sept. 17 at Suwon World Cup Stadium. The Vietnamese, coached by Philippe Trousier, lost 0-2 in a friendly against China at the Dalian Sports Center Stadium in Liaoning, China, on Oct. 10.
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