Koni De Winter
Personal information
Date of birth (2002-06-12) 12 June 2002 (age 21)
Place of birth Antwerp, Belgium[1]
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Genoa
(on loan from Juventus)
Number 4
Youth career
0000–2015 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– Juventus 0 (0)
2022–2023 → Empoli (loan) 14 (0)
2023– → Genoa (loan) 13 (0)
International career‡
2017 Belgium U15 3 (0)
2017 Belgium U16 2 (1)
2019 Belgium U18 1 (0)
2019–2020 Belgium U19 4 (0)
2021– Belgium U21 18 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 27 August 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10:39, 3 December 2023 (UTC)

Koni De Winter (born 12 June 2002) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as defender and midfielder for Serie A club Genoa on loan from Juventus.

Career

Early career

De Winter played in City Pirates Antwerp until 2015.[2] He played the 2015–16 season in the Lierse SK Youth Sector.[2] The following season, De Winter moved to the Zulte Waregem.[2] In the summer of 2018, De Winter moved to Juventus, becoming the first Belgian footballer ever to play for them.[3][4] In the 2018–19 season, De Winter made 27 appearances and scored one goal with the under-17s.[3] In the 2019–20 season, De Winter made 8 appearances with the under-19s team.[5] The following season, De Winter made 23 appearances with the under-19s[6] often playing as captain.[4]

Juventus

First call-up by Juventus and 2021–22 season

On 28 October 2020, De Winter was called up by Juventus' first team coach Andrea Pirlo for a UEFA Champions League match against Barcelona.[7] On 20 February 2021, he renewed his contract until 2024.[8] On 24 July, De Winter made his unofficial debut for Juventus in a 3–1 win against Cesena; scoring the opening goal in the 4th minute.[9]

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.[10] On 20 October, De Winter was sent-off in a 2–2 draw against AlbinoLeffe, ten minutes after his entry onto the field.[11] On 27 October, De Winter scored his first career goal: an equalizing goal in a 1–1 draw against Piacenza.[12]

On 23 November, De Winter made his official debut with the first team as well as his debut in the Champions League in a 4–0 defeat against Chelsea coming on as substitute of Juan Cuadrado in the 81st minute.[13] On 8 December, De Winter made his debut as 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;[14] he was eventually susbstitued in the 70th minute by Mattia De Sciglio.[15]

On 29 January 2022, he had a luxation of his left shoulder during a match against Feralpisalò.[16] On 6 March, De Winter returned from his injury in a 1–0 win against Pro Sesto coming on as a substitute the 85th minute; four minutes later, De Winter scored the winning goal.[17] After the end of the season, on 9 July, the defender officially renewed his contract with the club until 2026.[18][19]

Loan to Empoli

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,[20] with the deal being made official by both teams the following day.[19][21][22]

Loan to Genoa

On 11 August 2023, De Winter moved on loan to Genoa, with a conditional obligation to buy.[23]

Style of play

A pretty versatile player, De Winter can play as a central defender, a full-back on both sides, a defensive midfielder or even as a mezzala.[2][24]

Personal life

De Winter was born in Belgium to a Belgian father and Congolese mother.[25]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 14 April 2023[26]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Coppa Italia Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Juventus U23 2021–22 Serie C 22 2 — — 9[a] 0 31 2
Juventus 2021–22 Serie A 0 0 0 0 2[b] 0 0 0 2 0
Empoli (loan) 2022–23 Serie A 14 0 0 0 — — 14 0
Career total 36 2 0 0 2 0 9 0 47 2
  1. ^ Three appearances in Coppa Italia Serie C, six appearances in Serie C promotion play-offs
  2. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League

International

As of match played 27 March 2023[27]
Appearances and goals by national team, year and competition
Team Year Competitive Friendly Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Belgium U15 2017 — 3 0 3 0
Belgium U16 2017 — 2 1 2 1
Belgium U18 2019 — 1 0 1 0
Belgium U19 2019 2[a] 0 1 0 3 0
2020 — 1 0 1 0
Total 2 0 2 0 4 0
Belgium U21 2021 4[b] 0 — 4 0
2022 2[b] 0 2 0 4 0
2023 — 2 0 2 0
Total 6 0 4 0 10 0
Career total 8 0 12 1 20 1
  1. ^ Appearances in 2020 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification
  2. ^ a b Appearances in 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification

Honours

Juventus[26]

References

  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.
  2. ^ a b c d 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.
  3. ^ a b "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.
  4. ^ a b ""Forse saranno della partita": chi sono De Winter, Soulé e Miretti, i giovani su cui punta Allegri". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  5. ^ "Giocatore - KONI DE WINTER | Lega Serie A". www.legaseriea.it (in Italian). Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  6. ^ "Giocatore - KONI DE WINTER | Lega Serie A". www.legaseriea.it (in Italian). Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  7. ^ JuventusNews24, Redazione (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.((cite web)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ "Juventus, il talento belga Koni De Winter ha rinnovato fino al 2024". Blasting News (in Italian). 20 February 2021. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  9. ^ "Bianconeri win first preseason friendly! - Juventus". Juventus F.C. 24 July 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ Munno, Mauro (23 November 2021). "Chelsea-Juve 4-0: tracollo bianconero a Stamford Bridge". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  14. ^ JuventusNews24, Redazione (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.((cite web)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ JuventusNews24, Redazione (29 January 2022). "Infortunio De Winter: difensore ko in Juventus U23-Feralpisalò. Le condizioni". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 29 January 2022.((cite web)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ JuventusNews24, Redazione (6 March 2022). "De Winter, rientro con gol: il belga subito decisivo per l'U23". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 6 March 2022.((cite web)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ JuventusNews24, Redazione (9 July 2022). "De Winter rinnova con la Juventus: l'accordo è UFFICIALE – FOTO". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 9 July 2022.((cite web)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ a b "Under 23, Koni De Winter in prestito all'Empoli". Juventus.com (in Italian). 10 July 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  20. ^ JuventusNews24, Redazione (9 July 2022). "De Winter Empoli, è UFFICIALE: depositato il contratto del difensore. I dettagli". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 10 July 2022.((cite web)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  21. ^ "Koni De Winter è un nuovo calciatore azzurro". Empoli FC (in Italian). 10 July 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  22. ^ JuventusNews24, Redazione (10 July 2022). "De Winter Empoli, il trasferimento ora è ufficiale: il comunicato della Juve". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 10 July 2022.((cite web)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ "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.
  24. ^ 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.
  25. ^ "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.
  26. ^ a b Koni De Winter at Soccerway. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  27. ^ Koni De Winter at the Royal Belgian Football Association. Retrieved 10 April 2022.

External links

Genoa CFC – current squad
Categories