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Napoli Star Kim Min-jae to Shine on the International Stage

Napoli Star Kim Min-jae poses for World Cup 2022 photo

Napoli are one of the most in-form teams across Europe this season. Luciano Spalletti has them firing on all cylinders and there are a number of players excelling. Victor Osimhen and Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are amongst those, as is one of their defenders. Napoli star Kim Min-jae has been excellent and now could show that in Qatar too.

Napoli Star Kim Min-jae Shining Bright for His Country

Can South Korea Turn a Few Heads?

South Korea pulled out a shock result four years ago against the Germans. Russia, as the hosts were a surprising outfit and the side spearheaded by Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min, weren’t far behind either. They may not have made it out of the groups but one specific game was huge.

They held on and battled it out in Kazan until the dying embers and then struck twice. Kim Young-gwon netted with 90+4 on the clock and then as Germany went in search of an equalizer, Son put the game to bed at the other end.

Son remains the main man for Paulo Bento’s side and now there are a few other players of quality in and around him too. There have been flashes of brilliances from Hwang Hee-chan in a Wolves shirt, particularly in the early days of his tenure at Molineux.

Another potential threat in the final third is Lee Kang-in. Again, the consistency is missing, but the Mallorca man was talked about as a future star and is yet to kick on. Kang-in has contributed to five goals in just over 1,000 La Liga minutes, better than anything he mustered in a Valencia shirt. Attentions can then turn to Napoli star Kim Min-jae whose confident play at the back for the Little Donkeys is nothing short of mesmeric.

Read More: Bribes and Broken Promises: The Issues Behind the Qatar World Cup 2022

All About Napoli Star Kim Min-jae

Min-jae arrived in Naples from Fenerbahce, the Turkish side being his first taste of European football. Previously, he went from South Korea to China and so he is arriving on the biggest stage further down the line than others. The centre-back is 26 now and so maybe his form and this World Cup are coming at an opportune time.

As they enter the World Cup break, Napoli find themselves eight points clear in the race for the Scudetto with Milan as their closest challengers. The red half of the San Siro has a few enigmas of their own but even Fikayo Tomori hasn’t been quite as elite as the Napoli star Kim Min-jae.

Only two teams, Juventus and Lazio, have conceded fewer goals than Napoli and whilst they are of course top of the table, they have never really been known for defensive stability. Through the years, from Maurizio Sarri to Gennaro Gattuso, attacking football has run through the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. Min-jae’s defensive prowess along with the likes of Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Mathias Olivera has ensured Napoli have a strong foundation to launch attacks from.

Read More: World Cup Predictions – Round One

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Embed from Getty Images

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