Kim Min-jae has even been likened to a 'legend'! German media marvels... "Backup for Jonathan Tah? KIM is far more." His rating ranks among the top in his team.

*This content was translated by AI.

South Korea's national football team "monster defender" Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich) has captured the attention of local German media from the opening match of the new season. With stable defense and bold offensive involvement, local outlets have even compared Kim Min-jae to a Bayern legend.

On the 29th (Korean time), Bayern Munich secured a decisive 5-1 victory over Stuttgart in their home match at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, for Round 1 of the 2026–2027 Bundesliga season.

Having defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the Franz Beckenbauer Super Cup on the 23rd, Bayern continued their upward momentum with a resounding win in the league opener. After achieving back-to-back Bundesliga titles through last season, Bayern aims for a third consecutive championship this season.

Kim Min-jae started in the lineup for both the Super Cup and the Bundesliga opener. Partnering with Dayot Upamecano at center defense, he played 84 minutes on the pitch.

Bayern fields top-tier center-backs including Kim Min-jae, Upamecano, and German national team star Jonathan Tah. Amidst fierce competition for starting spots, manager Vincent Kompany has consistently given Kim Min-jae and Upamecano the starting opportunity in official matches early in the season.

Kim Min-jae repaid Kompany's trust with his performance. He recorded nine defensive actions in total, stabilizing Bayern's defense. He made seven clearances, successfully intercepted the ball twice, and notably executed six header clearances to effectively neutralize opponents' aerial attacks. He also won possession five times.

In aerial duels, he won two out of three attempts, achieving a 67% success rate. He committed no fouls throughout the match.

He also demonstrated stability in building up play from the back. Out of 39 passes attempted, 34 were successful, yielding an impressive 87% completion rate. He created one scoring opportunity and made 50 touches on the ball. Despite being a central defender, he touched the ball twice inside the opponent's penalty area and completed three forward passes toward the attacking zone, actively advancing to support offensive buildup.

Football statistics specialist FotMob awarded Kim Min-jae a rating of 7.2.

Local German assessments were also favorable. The German outlet TZ gave Kim Min-jae a rating of 2. In the German system, 1 is the highest score and 6 the lowest; thus, a 2 represents a very high evaluation.

Notably, while describing Kim Min-jae's aggressive movements, TZ even invoked a Bayern legend. The outlet stated, "Kim Min-jae advanced forward continuously like Lucio, joining the attack," and added, "He also made crucial clearances in defense."

Lucio is a world-class center-back who played for both the Brazilian national team and Bayern Munich during his career. He gained fame not only for his powerful defending but also for his bold style of carrying the ball forward to participate in attacks. TZ drew this comparison due to Kim Min-jae's proactive advancing play.

Even more noteworthy was TZ's assessment of Kim Min-jae's standing within the team. The outlet emphasized, "Kim Min-jae has proven he is far more than just a good backup for Jonathan Tah."

Considering Bayern's fierce competition in central defense this season, this evaluation carries significant weight. Until last season, Kim Min-jae was often seen as primarily supporting Upamecano and Jonathan Tah from behind, but he has now secured a spot on the starting lineup for the new season. TZ praised his consecutive strong performances.

With these consistent high-level displays, local observers are increasingly viewing Kim Min-jae as more than just a backup resource.

Meanwhile, Bayern took the lead in the 21st minute of the first half when Upamecano scored with a header from a corner kick situation.

They conceded an equalizer to Joshua Kimmich in the 7th minute of the second half, but then Bayern's attack exploded. Michael Olise scored again to restore the lead in the 10th minute, and three minutes later, a goal by Bagnoman (own goal) widened the gap.

Adding to this, Aleksandar Pavlovic scored in the 37th minute of the second half, and Luis Díaz added another in stoppage time, completing the 5-1 victory.

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*This content was translated by AI.