Kim Min-jae returns to Napoli after strong World Cup performance

Kim Min-jae plays the ball during a round of 16 match between Korea and Brazil at the 2022 FIFA World Cup at Stadium 974 in Doha, Qatar on Dec. 5. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Korean center-back Kim Min-jae jets off to Napoli, Italy tonight to join his Serie A club SSC Napoli.

According to Kim’s agency, he will be jetting off at 12:15 a.m. Thursday from Incheon International Airport. He will rejoin club training on Dec. 21 about two weeks before the Serie A season resumes on Jan. 5, 2023 with a match against Inter Milan. Before that, Napoli will play a club friendly against La Liga club Villarreal on Saturday.

Kim's role as a defender on the national team was crucial at the World Cup, especially with top forward Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan not quite in peak condition.

While holding Uruguay to a 0-0 draw, Kim sustained a calf injury during the second half, slipping while trying to chase down Darwin Nunez. After laying down on the field in pain, Kim continued to push through the full match.

That was also what he did for the next match against Ghana, starting the game despite discomfort and pushing through until the last few minutes of injury time when he was seen signaling to the bench that he could not play any longer. He was substituted by Kwon Kyung-won.

With those two matches taking a toll on Kim, he was excluded from the starting eleven in Korea’s final group stage match against Portugal where Korea defied all odds to beat Portugal 2-1 and advanced to the round of 16.

The fact Kim was able to start in Korea's round of 16 match against Brazil may be a sign that he has now recovered and can carry on his clutch performance in the Italian league.

Over the past five months, Kim has been showered with accolades for his impressive performances with Napoli.

Kim got off to an impressive start with Napoli after arriving in July, playing the full 90 minutes in 14 of 15 Serie A games. The Partenopei remained undefeated in the domestic league.

He also played the full 90 minutes in every single Champions League game, where Napoli topped Group A with five wins and one loss.

Kim scored two goals of his own early in the season, proving his strength in the air with two set piece headers, against Monza on Aug. 21 and Lazio on Sept. 3.

Since arriving in Europe with Serie A club Napoli, Kim appeared in 14 of 15 league games without losing a single one, earning Player of the Month twice. He also earned a spot on a number of lists of the best defenders in the world.

Kim has a few weeks to recover and see if he is fit enough to join Napoli’s first Serie A match after the World Cup.

BY YUN SO-HYANG [yun.sohyang@joongang.co.kr]