Kim Min-jae (29, Bayern Munich) lifted the Bundesliga championship trophy. Following his time at Napoli in Italy’s Serie A, he once again stands atop one of Europe’s top five leagues.
Bayern celebrated their victory in front of home fans after a 2-0 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, on the 11th (Korean time). Kim Min-jae also participated.
On the 5th, Bayern confirmed an early championship based on the results of the match involving second-place Bayer Leverkusen. They reclaimed the 'Meisterschale (Bundesliga champion trophy)' two years after conceding it to Leverkusen in the 2023-2024 season.
Benoît Compagnie, the Bayern manager, proved his leadership by reaching the league summit in his first season.
Kim Min-jae became the first South Korean player to win titles in two different European major leagues. Having won the Serie A title with Napoli in the 2022-2023 season, he added the Bundesliga championship this season, marking another milestone.
Although he could not participate in the match due to injury, Kim Min-jae shared the joy of victory with his teammates. After hanging the medal around his neck on the ceremony stage, he lifted the trophy sixth. Initially appearing shy, Kim Min-jae stepped forward amid congratulations from his teammates to raise the shield-shaped trophy 'Meisterschale' vigorously.
This season, Kim Min-jae played a total of 2,289 minutes in the league as a starting defender. Amid frequent injuries in the defensive line, he played nearly every match for the entire time. Despite facing an Achilles tendon injury and back pain at the end of last year, along with a sore throat, he persevered through with painkillers. Criticism followed due to mistakes, but he silently contributed to the team’s triumph.
Bayern sparked controversy by excluding Kim Min-jae from the celebratory content released immediately after the championship confirmation. His absence from the official poster and video thumbnail led to backlash from fans. During this championship ceremony, Kim Min-jae received the spotlight he deserved, and the controversy over his previous exclusion faded.
Meanwhile, Bayern's main striker Harry Kane lifted his first career championship trophy.
Having spent 13 seasons at Tottenham without a title, he transferred to Bayern ahead of last season. In just his second season since the transfer, he embraced the championship cup.
Kane has scored 24 goals in the league this season, leading the scoring chart. He is five goals ahead of Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen) and has a high possibility of becoming the top scorer.
Bayern maintained their lead consistently since the start of the season. After falling to third place last season and ending an 11-year championship streak, they bounced back in just one season. Manager Compagnie claimed a third league title following victories in the Belgian Cup with Anderlecht and the English Championship with Burnley, marking another achievement as a coach.
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