The ‘monster defender’ Kim Min-jae (29, Bayern Munich) has set a new landmark in Korean football history. He became the first Korean to win titles in both the Italian Serie A and the German Bundesliga.

On the 11th (Korean time), Kim Min-jae participated in the official victory ceremony held after the 33rd round Bundesliga match against Borussia Mönchengladbach at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, where he proudly lifted the trophy.

Bayern Munich celebrated a successful win, defeating their opponent 2-0, successfully marking their early confirmed championship.

Bayern Munich returned to the top of the league on the 5th when second-placed Bayer Leverkusen drew with Freiburg. They secured the title regardless of the remaining matches, widening the gap from Leverkusen, which ended with 68 points. This is a reclaiming of the league trophy one year after handing it over to Leverkusen last season.

In the home game where the championship was confirmed, Bayern Munich had a solid victory with Harry Kane scoring the opening goal in the 31st minute of the first half, and Michael Olise securing the win with a late goal in the 45th minute of the second half. With 24 wins, 7 draws, and 2 losses totaling 79 points, Munich finished the season with overwhelming performance.

This season, despite frequent Achilles tendon pain, Kim Min-jae has continued to play intensely. Particularly, from the early part of the season, as Bayern Munich's defense was shaky, Kim Min-jae was one of the most consistently fielded players until March. After the match against Mainz on the 26th of last month, he did not appear in official matches, returning home after the league championship was confirmed to focus on treatment and recovery.

However, Kim Min-jae returned to Bayern Munich for the victory ceremony and proudly participated in the trophy presentation. The scene where captain Manuel Neuer handed the trophy to the team's symbol, Thomas Müller, who is nearing retirement, instead of lifting it right away, also captivated fans. At the moment Müller lifted the trophy, Kim Min-jae roared with his teammates, sharing the joy.

Kim Min-jae led Napoli to the Serie A championship last season, bringing the team to the top for the first time in 33 years, and this season, in his first year after the transfer, he has proven his status as a ‘victory machine’ by securing the Bundesliga title. He is the only Korean player to have experienced league championships in both of Europe's top leagues.

The moment Kim Min-jae lifted the trophy carries significance beyond just a ceremony. It is noted that he has expanded the range of achievements that Korean players can attain by establishing himself as a top-class defender in Europe. Although appearances dropped due to injuries and condition issues in the latter half of the season, he left a significant presence as a linchpin of Bayern's defense.

Meanwhile, another star of the match was Harry Kane. Kane scored his 25th goal of the season, firmly holding on to the top scorer position and further increasing his chances of becoming the league's top scorer with the final league match remaining. He leads the Borussia Dortmund's Serou Guirassy (19 goals) by 6 goals, making it highly likely he will secure the title. Kane also celebrated this moment as he washed away a long period without a trophy at Tottenham, savoring his first league victory.

Kim Min-jae's consecutive league championships are more than just records. The fact that an Asian defender contributed to consecutive titles on the European stage brings renewed attention to the status of Korean defenders on the world stage. Now, Kim Min-jae is aiming for higher goals, targeting the FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA Champions League next season.

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