Eric Dier (31) wished for Tottenham's victory.

Bayern celebrated their championship after winning 2-0 against Borussia Mönchengladbach in the 33rd round of the 2024-2025 Bundesliga season at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, on Nov. 11 (Korean time).

This season, Bayern achieved their 33rd Bundesliga championship immediately after coach Vincent Kompany took over. As a result, they reclaimed the Meisterschale, which they lost to Bayer Leverkusen during last season's unbeaten championship, after two years. Kim Min-jae became the first Korean player to win in two of Europe's top five leagues.

After the match, the full-fledged festival began. Bayern players received their championship medals one by one. Kim Min-jae, who was excluded from the match for injury management, also wore his medal with a bright smile.

Bayern players all climbed the podium to hold the long-anticipated trophy ceremony. First, captain Manuel Neuer handed the trophy to the 'legend' Thomas Müller, who will leave the team at the end of this season. Müller raised the Meisterschale (Bundesliga champion trophy) to a standing ovation. Cheers erupted from the stands.

Later, Harry Kane lifted the trophy, savoring his first championship. Dier and Michael Olise, who also escaped from a lack of titles, raised the trophy high. During this process, Kim Min-jae and Serge Gnabry took the lead to pull Dier forward, as if saying, 'Next is your turn.'

Kim Min-jae did not miss out on the trophy ceremony. He took a step back to watch, but his teammates would not leave him alone.

In particular, Dier marked Kim Min-jae closely. He literally grabbed Kim Min-jae by the collar, urging him to come forward, and Kim Min-jae burst into laughter. Even after Kim Min-jae held his ground, Dier pushed him from behind again, and Müller and Kane joined in.

Ultimately, Kim Min-jae could no longer hold back and came out to the front of the podium, holding the shield trophy. Although he was pushed out, the ceremony was proper. After briefly feigning hesitation, Kim Min-jae raised the trophy high and roared.

After the ceremony, Bayern players continued the celebration by pouring beer on each other. Kane was drenched from head to toe, but he had a happier expression than anyone.

On the other hand, Kim Min-jae remained dry until the end. Gnabry quietly approached him with a giant cup filled with beer, but Kim Min-jae noticed first and quickly fled. In the end, he left the stadium without a single drop on him.

Kim Min-jae achieved his fourth career championship. He was crowned twice in the K League, and after winning the Serie A championship during his time at Napoli, he also accomplished the Bundesliga victory. Kim Min-jae is the first Korean player to win in two of Europe's top five leagues.

It is particularly meaningful that Kim Min-jae played a key role in Bayern's championship under Kompany. He played a total of 43 games and logged 3,593 minutes across all competitions this season, with 2,289 minutes in the league alone. This is the second most playing time for Bayern, following Joshua Kimmich. After Dayot Upamecano collapsed in the second half, Kim Min-jae partnered with Dier to guard the backline for Bayern.

In their last home game, Dier and Kim Min-jae showed their friendship by looking out for each other. The two have already played their farewell match. Dier is heading to AS Monaco at the end of this season. The match against Mainz on Oct. 27 was the last game where both players played together.

Dier will leave the team after a year and a half, having joined Bayern on a surprise loan from Tottenham last January. He performed excellently in a backup role and received a two-year contract extension offer from Bayern. However, Dier decided to accept Monaco's offer, which included a three-year extension option, to challenge himself in France for the first time.

Monaco was a good choice in terms of playing time as well. According to German 'Kicker,' Bayern told Dier that they could not guarantee him consistent starting appearances. Ultimately, he chose Monaco, knowing that staying at Bayern would likely keep him as a rotational resource. Since Monaco will compete in the UEFA Champions League next season, it is also possible for Dier to meet Bayern and Kim Min-jae as an opponent.

Although there has been no official announcement yet, Dier revealed his move to Monaco. He said, "It was the club that had the best discussions with me and ultimately put in the most effort to sign me. They really wanted me," and added, "I am very grateful for Bayern's farewell. I also appreciate the way the club treated me while I was here."

Like Kane, Dier expressed his feelings about winning his first championship, saying, "I feel so good to win. It was better than I had heard. It took a long time to get to this moment," and added, "In fact, the longer I went without a victory, the more I wondered if I could ever achieve it."

Dier said, "Honestly, I think this feeling is natural. After getting so close to winning and coming up short, I thought victory was even more difficult. However, now that we've won, it doesn't matter. It was such a wonderful season. Being in an environment where we can win helps. I am glad to finally win."

Regarding his feelings about winning with his friend Kane, Dier said, "It was so special to win together. We’ve played together since before we were 20 years old. We spent the moment of securing the victory together, and it was a very precious moment for us," and added, "I hope Tottenham wins the UEFA Europa League final. I would be very happy if my acquaintances win."

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