Kim Min-ji (footballer)

In this Korean name, the family name is Kim.

Kim Min-ji
Personal information
Date of birth (2003-08-21) 21 August 2003
Place of birth Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Height 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Seoul City
Number 14
Youth career
2022-2023 Daeduk University
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2024- Seoul City
International career‡
2017-2019 South Korea U17 8 (0)
2022 South Korea U20 3 (0)
2025- South Korea 5 (1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals
‡ National team caps and goals as of 07:38, 25 February 2026 (UTC)

Kim Min-ji (Korean: 김민지; born 21 August 2003) is a South Korean footballer who plays as a midfielder for WK League team Seoul City Amazones and the South Korea national team.

Early life

Kim was born in Mapo-gu, Seoul. While attending Seogang Elementary School, she enjoyed running and often stayed behind on the sports field to watch the school's boys' football team train. The coach noticed her and suggested she try the sport, and as a result, she played for the boys' team up to the U-12 level.[1]

Youth career

Kim progressed to the U-15 girls' football academy at Oju Middle School, where she was known for her work ethic, undertaking weight training alone for up to two hours every night.[2] Kim continued to play at Seoul Dongsan I.C.T. High School, then Daeduk University in Daejeon.[3][4]

Club career

Kim was selected by Seoul City manager Yoo Young-sil in the first round of the 2024 WK League new players draft, signing a three-year contract with the club.[5] She was unable to play for much of the 2024 WK League season after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury that required surgery; she played the 2025 season with a pin still in place in her right knee.[2] In 2025, Kim recorded eight goals and three assists across 26 league games and was named in the WK League Best XI at the 2025 KWFF Awards.[2][6] She was also presented with the Best Young Player award at the 2025 KFA Awards.[7]

International career

Kim represented South Korea at the 2017 EAFF U-15 Girls' Tournament and the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.[8][9] She wore the captain's armband at the 2019 AFC U-16 Women's Championship.[10][1] Team coaches named Kim as one of South Korea's key hopes ahead of the 2020 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, but the tournament was eventually cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[11]

Kim received her first senior international call-up ahead of the 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship.[12] She made her debut in July 2025, coming on as a substitute in the 23rd minute of South Korea's clash with China at the tournament, and was in the starting line-up for the team's second match, against Japan.[13][14] Praising Kim's "hard work and fighting spirit", manager Shin Sang-woo said he believes Kim will play an important role as the South Korea women's team undergoes a generational shift.[15]

Kim scored her first international goal in a friendly against Wales in November 2025.[16][17]

Style of play

As a youth player Kim played primarily as a defender, but also occasionally played as a midfielder or centre forward, and even briefly as a goalkeeper.[1] She began playing as a midfielder after joining Seoul City at the suggestion of manager Yoo Young-sil.[15]

Kim is known for her versatility, stamina, and dedication to training and self-management off the field.[18][19] She credits her early years playing for a boys' team as helping her develop physicality and confidence in duels.[1] Kim has cited Jeon Eun-ha and Lee Geum-min as role models for their skill in taking risks to break through opposition lines and create attacking opportunities.[20]

Career statistics

International

As of match played 3 December 2025[21]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
South Korea 2025 5 1
Total 5 1
Scores and results list South Korea's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kim goal.
List of international goals scored by Kim Min-ji
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
1 29 November 2025 Ciudad Deportiva Fundación, Málaga, Spain Wales 1–1 1-1 Friendly [22]

Honours

Daeduk University

  • National Sports Festival: 2022
  • Queen's Cup runner-up: 2022, 2023

Seoul City Amazones

South Korea

  • EAFF E-1 Football Championship: 2025

Individual

  • Queen's Cup Best Defender: 2023[3]
  • KWFF WK League Best XI: 2025
  • KFA Young Player Award: 2025

References

  1. ^ a b c d Kwon, Tae-jung (September 2019). "열여섯의 프로페셔널 U-16 여자대표팀 주장 김민지" (PDF). Onside (in Korean). 64. Korea Football Association: 11–12.
  2. ^ a b c Kim, Chang-geum (26 December 2025). "무릎에 핀 박고도 펄펄 난 김민지…"나를 뛰게 한 건 집념이었다"" [Kim Min-ji is flying even with a pin in her knee: "I could run thanks to my determination"]. Hani (in Korean). Retrieved 25 February 2026.
  3. ^ a b Kim, Byung-yong (30 June 2023). "대전대덕대 김민지, 대회 수비상 수상 기쁨 누려!" [Daejeon Daeduk University's Kim Min-ji happy to win tournament defender award]. Gukje News (in Korean). Retrieved 26 February 2026.
  4. ^ Park, Jin-up (25 June 2023). "대덕대 김민지, 코치님도 많이 축하해요!" [Daeduk University's Kim Min-ji congratulates her coach enthusiastically!]. Sports Seoul (in Korean). Retrieved 26 February 2026 – via Nate News.
  5. ^ Choi, Song-a (14 December 2023). "국가대표 이은영, WK리그 신인 드래프트 1순위로 창녕WFC행" [Korea international Lee Eun-young heading to Changnyeong WFC as first pick in WK League new players draft]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Retrieved 25 February 2026.
  6. ^ "KWFF Awards: all the winners". WK League News. 10 December 2025. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
  7. ^ Kwon, Jong-oh (24 February 2026). "축구협회 '올해의 선수'에 이강인…손흥민 제치고 첫 수상" [KFA names Lee Kang-in player of the year, first win over Son Heung-min]. Gyeonggi Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved 25 February 2026.
  8. ^ "Korea Republic". East Asian Football Federation. 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
  9. ^ Lee, Dong-chil (18 November 2018). "여자축구, U-17 월드컵서 캐나다에 0-2 패배…사실상 탈락" [Women's football: knocked out of U-17 World Cup after 0-2 loss to Canada]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Retrieved 26 February 2026.
  10. ^ Lim, Sung-il (10 February 2020). "여자축구 국가대표 후보선수 합숙훈련, 10일부터 목포서 진행" [Women's national football training camp to be held in Mokpo from 10th]. News 1 (in Korean). Retrieved 26 February 2026.
  11. ^ Son, Won-tae (5 September 2019). "인창수 감독 "곽로영, 김민지, 김예은 등 여자축구 좋은 성적 낼 것"" [Manager In Chang-soo: "We can achieve good results in women's football with the likes of Kwak Ro-young, Kim Min-ji and Kim Ye-eun"]. Gyeongin Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved 26 February 2026.
  12. ^ Lee, Hyun-seok (26 June 2025). ""김민지 A대표팀 첫 승선" 신상우호, E-1챔피언십 명단 추가 발탁...엔트리 26명으로 확대" ["Kim Min-ji's first senior call-up" Shin Sang-woo adds to the list for E-1 Championship, squad expanded to 26]. Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved 26 February 2026.
  13. ^ Lee, Hyun-seok (12 July 2025). "'대표팀 새 얼굴→A매치 데뷔까지'...이제 첫걸음 뗀 '유망주' 김민지 "국대로 뛰는 것, 부담이지만 최선 다해야"" [From new face to A match debut, the young hope Kim Min-ji takes her first steps "it's a heavy responsibility to represent my country, but I have to do my best"]. Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved 25 February 2026.
  14. ^ Kwon, Jae-min (13 July 2025). "사령탑 눈도장 찍은 김민지, 한일전 선발 출전…나머지 10명은 중국전 선발과 동일" [Kim Min-ji will start against Japan after catching the manager's eye... The other 10 are the same as the line-up against China]. Sports Dong-a (in Korean). Retrieved 26 February 2026.
  15. ^ a b Seo, Ho-jung (February 2026). "WK리그 샛별들, 아시아를 향하는 빛으로" [New stars of WK League shining light across Asia]. Onside (in Korean). 141. Korea Football Association: 12–21.
  16. ^ Evans, Claire H. (16 December 2025). "South Korea women's national team: 2025 recap". K League United. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
  17. ^ Lee, Young-ho (29 November 2025). "'김민지 동점골' 여자축구대표팀, 웨일스와 평가전서 1-1 무승부" ['Kim Min-ji equaliser' women's football team draw 1-1 with Wales in friendly]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Retrieved 26 February 2026.
  18. ^ "WK League playoff preview: Seoul City Amazones host Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels". WK League News. 31 October 2025. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
  19. ^ Evans, Claire H. (20 July 2025). "Korea's women victorious in EAFF E-1 Football Championship". K League United. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
  20. ^ Son, Sang-min (1 August 2025). "동아시아 최고 선수들이 뛰는 리그, 지금이 'WK리그'를 볼 때" [Now when you watch the WK League, you see the league where the best players in East Asia play]. Women News (in Korean). Retrieved 26 February 2026.
  21. ^ "김민지 Kim Minji". KFA. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
  22. ^ "Wilkinson rues missed chance as Wales held to draw". BBC Sport. 28 November 2025. Retrieved 26 February 2026.


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