Kim Min-jae 'Played First Half, Then Subbed Out': An Unusual Early Substitution That Even Hong Myung-bo Found Surprising — 'Why?'

*This content was translated by AI.

South Korea national team center back Kim Min-jae (30, Bayern Munich) was substituted at halftime after playing only the first half in Germany's Bundesliga. Given the nature of the center back position, being substituted after just the first half is uncommon compared to other positions.

Kim Min-jae started in the away match against Wolfsburg in the 33rd round of the 2025-2026 Bundesliga, held at Volkswagen Arena in Wolfsburg, Germany, on the 10th (Korean time). Having been substituted into the UEFA Champions League (UCL) quarterfinal second leg against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on the 7th, Kim Min-jae returned to the starting lineup after just two official matches. This marks his seventh consecutive Bundesliga start.

Working in tandem with Japanese defender Hiroki Ito, Kim Min-jae steadily led the defensive line in the first half. He won one aerial duel and one ground ball duel each, recorded three blocks, two clearances, and two interceptions. In the 15th minute of the first half, he directly prevented a potential goal by tackling an opponent's shot. Kim Min-jae's steadfast performance helped Bayern Munich finish the first half scoreless.

However, Kim Min-jae did not take the field in the second half. Coach Vincent Kompany substituted him at halftime, bringing on fellow center back Dayot Upamecano. Interest focused on the reason behind this move, as Kim Min-jae was not performing poorly (his first-half rating from a football statistics outlet was 7.7), and there was no apparent need to manage his fitness for an upcoming match.

Considering the center back position typically sees fewer substitutions compared to other positions, concerns were raised about a possible "injury." For Hong Myung-bo, head coach of the South Korea national team, who is awaiting the announcement of the final North American World Cup roster on the weekend (the 16th), this situation was naturally a source of tension.

In fact, Kim Min-jae's substitution was due to a "medical issue." Fortunately, the situation was not serious. According to Bayern Munich-focused media outlet Bayern&Germany, Coach Kompany explained in a post-match press conference that Kim Min-jae's halftime substitution was due to a medical issue but not a serious one; it was a precautionary measure. While this indicates Kim Min-jae's condition was not at 100%, the substitution was not an "inevitable" move due to an injury but rather a preventive one, allowing Hong Myung-bo to let out a sigh of relief.

Having already secured the Bundesliga title early, Bayern Munich defeated Wolfsburg 1-0 thanks to a first-half winning goal by Michael Olise in the 11th minute of the second half. This result brought their point total to 86 (27 wins, 5 draws, 1 loss), extending their lead over second-place Borussia Dortmund (70 points) to 16 points. After being eliminated from the UCL quarterfinals, Bayern Munich has two matches remaining: the final Bundesliga game against Cologne on the 16th and the DFB Pokal final against Stuttgart on the 24th. Kim Min-jae is scheduled to play in the DFB Pokal final before traveling to the United States to join the Hong Myung-bo national team.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.