Kim Min-jae "Honestly, I'm Jealous of Japan" Statement: Why?

"More European Players Needed... Guaranteeing Coach's Term Is Important"
"Transfer Rumors Are True, Won't Avoid Interviews"
"Please Attend K League Matches More Often"

On the afternoon of the 14th, Kim Min-jae is answering questions from reporters before departing for Incheon International Airport to return to his team. Photo by Yonhap News

Honestly, I envy Japan... Japan has many European players, so they are competitive

Kim Min-jae (26, SSC Napoli), the 'monster defender' of the South Korean national football team, departed for Turkey on the 15th, where his club SSC Napoli (Italy) is conducting preseason training.

Before departure, Kim Min-jae expressed his hope that more Korean players would play in Europe. He said, "I learned a lot from the World Cup. I felt that not only Korea but Asian teams have competitiveness on the world stage. The preparation process was long, so honestly, it was physically and mentally tough," sharing his impressions of experiencing his first World Cup.

He added, "Coach Paulo Bento would like to bring many Korean players, but it's not easy. In fact, it's difficult for Korean players to move to Europe. There are many things to resolve with clubs, and transfer fees are expensive. K League players also performed well in the World Cup this time. I can't speak carelessly as I am not in the club's position, but if I may say one thing, I hope they would let players go well if offers come from European teams."

Kim Min-jae signing autographs. Photo by Yonhap News

Kim Min-jae also said, "(In this regard) honestly, I envy Japan. Japan has many European players, so they are competitive. Honestly, I think it's incomparable."

Among Japan's final 26-man World Cup squad, 19 players were playing in Europe. This was more than twice the number of Korean players in Europe, who numbered 8.

Regarding the next national team head coach, Kim Min-jae said, "I hope job security is prioritized. The coach should be able to instill the style of football he wants over a long period." He added, "Of course, results are important, but I think failure is also part of the process."

Kim Min-jae also addressed recent transfer rumors surrounding him. He said, "I have been with the team for less than half a year, but there are many speculative reports. If they could refrain, I would work even harder and do better."

Kim Min-jae, who joined Napoli this summer, led the team to an unbeaten streak of 15 matches and 11 consecutive wins before the World Cup break. He played full-time in 14 of the 15 official matches, missing only one game. Thanks to Kim Min-jae's performance, Napoli is leading the league alone with 13 wins, 2 draws, and 41 points.

Lastly, Kim Min-jae said, "I definitely feel that there is more interest than before, and I am truly grateful," and urged, "I hope many people will also come to watch K League matches."

On that day, more than 100 fans came to Incheon International Airport late at night to see Kim Min-jae off. Kim Min-jae responded by signing autographs for most of the fans before leaving.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.