Kim Min-jae (29, Bayern Munich) celebrated the victory by raising the 'Meisterschale (Bundesliga championship trophy)' in front of thousands of fans, becoming the first Korean player to do so.
On the 18th (Korea time), Bayern held the victory celebration for the 2024-2025 season at Marienplatz in Munich, Germany. The men's and women's teams, who were champions together, enjoyed the festivities as they took turns raising the trophy on the balcony of the Munich City Hall.
Bayern secured the early title with a 2-0 victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach on the 5th, clinching the Bundesliga championship with two matches remaining. This marks the 33rd Bundesliga title achieved just after coach Vincent Kompany took charge.
Kim Min-jae also added his first Bundesliga title to his career. In his second year at Bayern as a champion, he became the first Korean player to conquer two of the top five European leagues. Kim Min-jae had previously won the Serie A title with Napoli in the 2022-2023 season.
Bayern reclaimed the Meisterschale after two years. Last season, under coach Thomas Tuchel, Bayern finished third in the Bundesliga. Bayer Leverkusen, led by coach Xabi Alonso, achieved the league's first unbeaten championship, while Stuttgart surged in the final stages, pushing Bayern down to third.
This season has been different since Kompany took charge. He implanted attacking football at Bayern, leading a transformation as they surged to the top with an explosive offensive from the outset. Although they faced challenges in the second half with injuries to key players and a concurrent Champions League campaign, they secured the title early, thanks to Leverkusen slipping up.
On this day, Bayern players reveled in their victory on the streets with fans. As the host called names, players came out one by one to the balcony to raise the trophy. Starting with 'one-club man' Thomas Müller, who is leaving the team at the end of this season, Harry Kane and Manuel Neuer, as well as Dayot Upamecano, made their appearances.
Kim Min-jae was no exception. Dressed in traditional German attire, he came out after Alphonso Davies, waving his hands in greeting. He then lifted the Meisterschale that he received from Davies.
This is Kim Min-jae's second European title. With this victory, he became the first Korean player to win championships in two different leagues across the top European leagues (Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1).
Earlier, Kim Min-jae became the first Korean player to win the Serie A title with Napoli (Italy) in the 2022-2023 season. Notably, he has been a key player at both Napoli and Bayern, consistently performing at a high level. The probability of a player who has won two league trophies at two major clubs while being a starter is likely to be low for the foreseeable future.
Having shown outstanding performances in various ways, Kim Min-jae is now connected to transfer rumors. Bayern is considering replacing him with other players, citing 'many mistakes' despite his dedication to avoiding overworking. As he raises the Meisterschale while being linked with a transfer, attention is focused on where Kim Min-jae will head next.
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited), AT World News, Bayern Munich social media.
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