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Koni De Winter

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Koni De Winter
De Winter with Belgium in 2026
Personal information
Date of birth (2002-06-12) 12 June 2002 (age 24)
Place of birth Antwerp, Belgium[1]
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[2]
Position Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 AC Milan
Number 5
Youth career
–2015 City Pirates Antwerp
2015–2016 Lierse SK
2016–2018 Zulte Waregem
2018–2021 Juventus
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2022 Juventus U23 22 (2)
2021–2024 Juventus 0 (0)
2022–2023 → Empoli (loan) 14 (0)
2023–2024 → Genoa (loan) 29 (0)
2024–2025 Genoa 25 (3)
2025– AC Milan 26 (1)
International career‡
2017 Belgium U15 3 (0)
2017 Belgium U16 2 (1)
2019 Belgium U18 1 (0)
2019–2020 Belgium U19 4 (0)
2021–2023 Belgium U21 18 (0)
2024– Belgium 8 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 12:14, 17 May 2026 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 23:19, 2 June 2026 (UTC)

Koni De Winter (born 12 June 2002) is a Belgian[3] professional footballer who plays as centre-back for Serie A club AC Milan and the Belgium national team.

Club career

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Early career

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De Winter played in City Pirates Antwerp until 2015.[4] He played the 2015–16 season in the Lierse SK youth academy.[4] The following season, De Winter moved to the Zulte Waregem youth academy.[4] In the summer of 2018, he moved to Serie A club Juventus, becoming the first Belgian footballer ever to play for them.[5][6] Initially joining the youth academy, in the 2018–19 season, De Winter made 27 appearances and scored one goal with the under-17s.[5] In the 2019–20 season, he made 8 appearances with the under-19s team.[7] The following season, De Winter made 23 appearances with the under-19s[8] often playing as captain.[6]

Juventus

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First call-up by Juventus and 2021–22 season

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On 28 October 2020, De Winter was called up by Juventus' first team coach Andrea Pirlo for a UEFA Champions League match against La Liga club Barcelona.[9] On 20 February 2021, he renewed his contract until 2024.[10] On 24 July, he made his unofficial debut for Juventus in a 3–1 win against Cesena; scoring the opening goal in the 4th minute.[11]

De Winter made his debut for Juventus U23 – the reserve team of Juventus – on 22 August 2021 in a 3–2 win against Pro Sesto in the Coppa Italia Serie C.[12] On 20 October, he was sent off in a 2–2 draw against AlbinoLeffe, ten minutes after his entry onto the field.[13] On 27 October, De Winter scored his first career goal: an equalizing goal in a 1–1 draw against Piacenza.[14]

On 23 November, he made his official debut with the first team – as well as his debut in the Champions League – in a 4–0 defeat against Premier League club Chelsea, coming on as a substitute for Juan Cuadrado in the 81st minute.[15] On 8 December, De Winter made his debut as a starter for the first team in a 1–0 win against Malmö FF, becoming the youngest Juventus player to debut as a starter at 19 years and 179 days;[16] he was eventually substituted in the 70th minute for Mattia De Sciglio.[17]

On 29 January 2022, he had a luxation of his left shoulder during a match against Feralpisalò.[18] On 6 March, De Winter returned from his injury in a 1–0 win against Pro Sesto, coming on as a substitute in the 85th minute; four minutes later, he scored the winning goal.[19] After the end of the season, on 9 July, the defender officially renewed his contract with the club until 2026.[20][21]

Loan to Empoli

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On 9 July 2022, the same day as his contract extension with Juventus was announced, De Winter was sent on loan to fellow Serie A side Empoli,[22] with the deal being made official by both teams the following day.[21][23][24]

Loan to Genoa

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On 11 August 2023, he moved on loan to Genoa, with a conditional obligation to buy.[25]

Genoa

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On 1 July 2024, De Winter was permanently transferred to Genoa ahead of the 2024–25 season, as the club achieved the conditional buy obligation for an estimated €8 million transfer fee.[26][27]

AC Milan

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On 13 August 2025, De Winter joined fellow Serie A club AC Milan on a five-year contract.[28] On 25 January 2026, he scored his first goal for the club in a 1–1 away draw with Roma.

International career

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On 23 March 2024, De Winter debuted for the Belgium national team in a friendly match against the Republic of Ireland.[29]

Positions of play

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During his career, De Winter has played as a central defender, a full-back on both sides, a defensive midfielder, and as a mezzala (specialized midfielder in Italian football).[4][30]

Personal life

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De Winter was born in Belgium to a Belgian father and a Congolese-French mother. De Winter holds both Congolese and French citizenship.[3]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 17 May 2026[31]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Juventus U23 2021–22 Serie C 22260—3[b]0312
Juventus 2021–22 Serie A 00002[c]00020
Empoli (loan) 2022–23 Serie A 14000——140
Genoa (loan) 2023–24 Serie A 29020——310
Genoa 2024–25 Serie A 25310——263
Genoa total 54330——573
AC Milan 2025–26 Serie A 26120—1[d]0291
Career total 116611020401336
Notes

International

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As of match played 2 June 2026[32]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Belgium 202410
202540
202630
Total80

Honours

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Juventus[31]

References

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  1. ↑ "Jonge Duivel Koni De Winter traint bij Juventus met beste verdedigers ter wereld: "Ik wil een mix van Bonucci, Chiellini en De Ligt worden"". www.nieuwsblad.be. 12 October 2021.
  2. ↑ "Koni De Winter". AC Milan. Archived from the original on 18 August 2025. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  3. 1 2 "Op bezoek bij Koni De Winter, de jongste basisspeler ooit bij Juventus in de Champions League: "Ik wil zoals Chiellini hier vijftien jaar spelen"". www.nieuwsblad.be. 16 March 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Attanasio, Christian (18 July 2020). "Juve Primavera: Koni De Winter, il (primo) belga duttile arrivato a Torino". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Koni De Winter: il jolly della Juve Under 17 che sogna di scrivere la storia". Juventus News - Ultime Notizie Juve - il BiancoNero (in Italian). Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  6. 1 2 ""Forse saranno della partita": chi sono De Winter, Soulé e Miretti, i giovani su cui punta Allegri". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 10 September 2021. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  7. ↑ "Giocatore - KONI DE WINTER | Lega Serie A". www.legaseriea.it (in Italian). Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  8. ↑ "Giocatore - KONI DE WINTER | Lega Serie A". www.legaseriea.it (in Italian). Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  9. ↑ Redazione JuventusNews24 (28 October 2020). "Convocati Juve per il Barcellona: la decisione su Bonucci, 3 giovani in lista". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  10. ↑ "Juventus, il talento belga Koni De Winter ha rinnovato fino al 2024". Blasting News (in Italian). 20 February 2021. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  11. ↑ "Bianconeri win first preseason friendly! - Juventus". Juventus FC. 24 July 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  12. ↑ Alessandro Villano (22 August 2021). "Pro Sesto Juventus U23 2-3 dts: i bianconeri avanzano in Coppa Italia". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  13. ↑ Baridon, Marco (20 October 2021). "Albinoleffe Juventus U23 2-2: Kaio Jorge e Pecorino per la doppia rimonta". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  14. ↑ Baridon, Marco (27 October 2021). "Piacenza Juventus U23 1-1: De Winter e i guanti di Garofani salvano Zauli". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  15. ↑ Munno, Mauro (23 November 2021). "Chelsea-Juve 4-0: tracollo bianconero a Stamford Bridge". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  16. ↑ Redazione JuventusNews24 (8 December 2021). "De Winter da record: è il più giovane a riuscirci con la maglia della Juve". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  17. ↑ Munno, Mauro (8 December 2021). "Juve Malmoe 1-0: Kean per il primato nel gruppo H". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  18. ↑ Redazione JuventusNews24 (29 January 2022). "Infortunio De Winter: difensore ko in Juventus U23-Feralpisalò. Le condizioni". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  19. ↑ Redazione JuventusNews24 (6 March 2022). "De Winter, rientro con gol: il belga subito decisivo per l'U23". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  20. ↑ Redazione JuventusNews24 (9 July 2022). "De Winter rinnova con la Juventus: l'accordo è UFFICIALE – FOTO". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  21. 1 2 "Under 23, Koni De Winter in prestito all'Empoli". Juventus.com (in Italian). 10 July 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  22. ↑ Redazione JuventusNews24 (9 July 2022). "De Winter Empoli, è UFFICIALE: depositato il contratto del difensore. I dettagli". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  23. ↑ "Koni De Winter è un nuovo calciatore azzurro". Empoli FC (in Italian). 10 July 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  24. ↑ Redazione JuventusNews24 (10 July 2022). "De Winter Empoli, il trasferimento ora è ufficiale: il comunicato della Juve". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  25. ↑ "KONI DE WINTER È UN GIOCATORE DEL GENOA" [KONI DE WINTER IS A GENOA PLAYER] (in Italian). Genoa. 11 August 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  26. ↑ "Koni De Winter è un giocatore del Genoa" (in Italian). Genoa CFC. 11 August 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  27. ↑ "Official: How much Juventus earn from permanent defender's sale to Genoa". Football Italia. 3 May 2024.
  28. ↑ "OFFICIAL STATEMENT: KONI DE WINTER". AC Milan. 13 August 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  29. ↑ Maréchal, Edouard (25 March 2024). "Le bizutage de Koni De Winter après sa première avec les Diables Rouges" [Koni De Winter's haze after his debut with the Red Devils]. Walfoot (in French). Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  30. ↑ Conterio, Marco (10 September 2021). "Il primo belga della storia della Juventus: De Winter coi big, l'annuncio arriva da Allegri". TUTTOmercatoWEB.com (in Italian). Retrieved 11 September 2021.
  31. 1 2 Koni De Winter at Soccerway. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  32. ↑ Koni De Winter at the Royal Belgian Football Association. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
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