Ronaldinho says he's glad he never had to face Kim Min-jae

Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho praised Korean defender Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich, saying that he would have been tough to play against him.

From left: Fabio Cannavaro, Marco Materazzi and Ronaldinho pose for a photo during a press conference held at Fairmont Ambassador Seoul in western Seoul on Thursday. [YONHAP]

Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho praised Korean defender Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich, saying that it would have been tough to play against him.

Ronaldinho and Italian legends Marco Materazzi and Fabio Cannavaro arrived in Korea earlier this week to participate in promotional activities ahead of an all-star legend game co-organized by Emirati football management firm Racing City Group and local promoter Travelling scheduled to be held here in October.

The three legends will all take part in the all-star game alongside what is expected to be a star-studded roster.

Ronaldinho said during a press conference at Fairmont Ambassador Seoul in western Seoul on Thursday that Kim is a very good player and he's glad he never had to face the Bayern defender on the pitch.

Ronaldinho was a prolific goal scorer during his prime years at FC Barcelona, where he scored 70 goals in 145 appearances and won multiple trophies, including the La Liga in 2005 and 2006 as well as the Champions League in 2006.

He left European football in 2011, before retiring in 2018 with a FIFA World Cup and Ballon d’Or to his name.

The Brazilian legend’s praise for Kim came after the Korean center-back showed a remarkable performance with Napoli last season, where he played as a key defender and won the team’s first Serie A title in 33 years. That successful season allowed Kim to join Bayern this summer, where he will make his debut in the upcoming 2023-24 Bundesliga season.

Kim Min-jae, center, makes his first appearance for German club Bayern Munich during a friendly against Kawasaki Frontale at the National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan on July 29. Kim joined Bayern over the summer from Napoli, where he won the Serie A title last season. [AP/YONHAP]

Materazzi and Canavarro, two of the most successful defenders in Italian history who won the 2006 World Cup together, appeared to be on the same page as Ronaldinho.

“He [Kim] is an idol,” said Materazzi, who had a successful career with Inter Milan, but is perhaps best known for getting head-butted by Zinedine Zidane during the 2006 World Cup final. “He deserved all of the best. He had a lot of quality.”

Praise from the two Italian legends is likely to be particularly meaningful for Kim, as they both know an awful lot about defense. Cannavaro was one of the best defenders of his generation and the only defender in the 2000s to win the Ballon D’or, in 2006.

“I think he is more focused on the game,” Cannavaro said. “I think he was the key for the Scudetto, he played very well.”

Cannavaro pursued a coaching career after his retirement in 2011 and coached Chinese clubs from the mid-2010s through 2021, during which he saw Kim in action with his former team Beijing Guoan, where he played until 2021.

The Italian legends and Ronaldinho will all be back on the pitch at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, Gyeonggi on Oct. 21.

Other former football legends from different countries will also likely be in action at the all-star game, with a Racing City Group Korea official telling the Korea JoongAng Daily Thursday that the company is still working on recruiting the rest of the squad.

As of press time, the idea appears to be that the all-star players would play as one squad, with an as-yet undecided team facing them.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]