In continental soccer, when it comes to the outstanding performance of Asian players, Sun Xing's Golden Boot glory and three-time Lavender's shining star are often mentioned. But when it comes to outstanding performances this season, Jin, the center back of the dominant Serie A side, is undoubtedly the shining star among center backs in Europe's top five leagues.
01. From two sides of the Chinese Super League to Europe's top central defender
a. Superb annual salary attracted him to the Chinese Super League: Kim Min-ah made his mark at the age of 20 with Jeonbuk Hyundai of the K-League in South Korea, and at the age of 22 he signed a four-year deal with Beijing Guoan, earning up to eight times his salary at Jeonbuk Hyundai.
At the end of the same year, Kim Min-ah helped Korea win the East Asian Cup and was honored as the best defensive player. Despite an offer from Watford of the English Premier League, Kim Min-ah stayed in the Chinese Super League due to labor license issues.
In 2020, Kim Min-ah returned to South Korea due to an injury and participated in the national team's world preseason tournament. In May of the same year, he celebrated his wedding with the national club.
However, a video of Kim Min-ah mocking her Chinese teammates has gone viral on the internet, with the South Korean center back bluntly stating on a TV show that Chinese players lack defensive awareness and that she needs to take on two men alone at Beijing Guoan.
b. Moving to Europe, Kim Min-ah shines in the Champions League: with only six months left on his contract, Kim Min-ah eventually left the Chinese Super League to join Fenerbahce in the Turkish Super League. After a year of European experience, he was signed by Napoli in Serie A.
02. Man-portable defense covers a wide range of areas and is slightly underdeveloped against Mouani
a. Strong running ability and fierce confrontation: Kim Min-ah showed excellent one-man defense and physical strength against strong opponents such as Salah in the group stage of the Champions League.
However, Kim Min Ah was at a slight disadvantage against Muani, whose strength and agility put Kim Min Ah under pressure.
b. Excellent footwork and header defense: Kim Min Ah managed to complete 148 touches and 125 passes in the knockout stages of the Champions League, making him the king of all passes in the competition. His excellent ability to head the ball against the air made him a nightmare for opponents in the penalty area.
03. Asia's No. 1 center back: the all-around strength of Kim Min Ah
a. Excellent left and right foot passing skills: Kim Min-ah completed 14 one-on-one confrontations in the knockout stages of the Champions League, winning all but two of them to Mouani. His ability to get to the ball is outstanding for a 1.9 meter tall center back.
b. Wide defensive range and clear aerial advantage: Kim Min Ah's defensive range is from the center circle to the sideline and the penalty area, and his height and strength advantage dominates in aerial confrontations.
Conclusion:
Kim Min Ah has signed a contract with Napoli until 2025 with a default fee of €50 million. The likes of Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain are eyeing her up, but Kim aims to help Napoli win the Serie A title and go further in the Champions League.
