Koni De Winter

Koni De Winter
Personal information
Date of birth (2002-06-12) 12 June 2002
Place of birth Antwerp, Belgium[1]
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[2]
Position(s) 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 0 (0)
International career‡
2017 Belgium U15 3 (0)
2017 Belgium U16 2 (1)
2019 Belgium U18 1 (0)
2019–2020 Belgium U19 4 (0)
2021–2023 Belgium U21 18 (0)
2024– Belgium 4 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 20:47, 24 May 2025 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 9 June 2025

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

Club career

Early career

De Winter played in City Pirates Antwerp until 2015.[3] He played the 2015–16 season in the Lierse SK youth academy.[3] The following season, De Winter moved to the Zulte Waregem youth academy.[3] In the summer of 2018, he moved to Italian Serie A club Juventus, becoming the first Belgian footballer ever to play for them.[4][5] Initially joining the youth academy, in the 2018–19 season, De Winter made 27 appearances and scored one goal with the under-17s.[4] In the 2019–20 season, he made 8 appearances with the under-19s team.[6] The following season, De Winter made 23 appearances with the under-19s[7] often playing as captain.[5]

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 Spanish La Liga club Barcelona.[8] On 20 February 2021, he renewed his contract until 2024.[9] 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.[10]

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.[11] On 20 October, he was sent-off in a 2–2 draw against AlbinoLeffe, ten minutes after his entry onto the field.[12] On 27 October, De Winter scored his first career goal: an equalizing goal in a 1–1 draw against Piacenza.[13]

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 English Premier League club Chelsea coming on as substitute of Juan Cuadrado in the 81st minute.[14] 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;[15] he was eventually susbstitued in the 70th minute by Mattia De Sciglio.[16]

On 29 January 2022, he had a luxation of his left shoulder during a match against Feralpisalò.[17] 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.[18] After the end of the season, on 9 July, the defender officially renewed his contract with the club until 2026.[19][20]

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,[21] with the deal being made official by both teams the following day.[20][22][23]

Loan to Genoa

On 11 August 2023, he moved on loan to Genoa, with a conditional obligation to buy.[24]

Genoa

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.[25][26]

AC Milan

On 13 August 2025, De Winter joined fellow Serie A club AC Milan on a five-year contract.[27]

International career

On 23 March 2024, De Winter debuted for the Belgium national team in a friendly match against the Republic of Ireland.[28]

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.[3][29]

Personal life

De Winter was born in Belgium to a Belgian father and Congolese mother.[30]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 24 May 2025[31]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup[a] Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Juventus U23 2021–22 Serie C 22 2 6 0 — 3[b] 0 31 2
Juventus 2021–22 Serie A 0 0 0 0 2[c] 0 0 0 2 0
Empoli (loan) 2022–23 Serie A 14 0 0 0 — — 14 0
Genoa (loan) 2023–24 Serie A 29 0 2 0 — — 31 0
Genoa 2024–25 Serie A 25 3 1 0 — — 26 3
Total 54 3 3 0 — — 57 3
AC Milan 2025–26 Serie A 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 0 0
Career total 90 5 3 0 2 0 9 0 104 5
Notes
  1. ^ Includes Coppa Italia Serie C, Coppa Italia
  2. ^ Appearances in Serie C promotion play-offs
  3. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League

International

As of match played 9 June 2025[32]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Belgium 2024 1 0
2025 3 0
Total 4 0

Honours

Juventus[31]

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. ^ "Koni De Winter". AC Milan. Archived from the original on 18 August 2025. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ "Giocatore - KONI DE WINTER | Lega Serie A". www.legaseriea.it (in Italian). Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  7. ^ "Giocatore - KONI DE WINTER | Lega Serie A". www.legaseriea.it (in Italian). Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  8. ^ 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)
  9. ^ "Juventus, il talento belga Koni De Winter ha rinnovato fino al 2024". Blasting News (in Italian). 20 February 2021. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  10. ^ "Bianconeri win first preseason friendly! - Juventus". Juventus FC. 24 July 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ Munno, Mauro (23 November 2021). "Chelsea-Juve 4-0: tracollo bianconero a Stamford Bridge". Juventus News 24 (in Italian). Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  15. ^ 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)
  16. ^ 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.
  17. ^ 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)
  18. ^ 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)
  19. ^ 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)
  20. ^ a b "Under 23, Koni De Winter in prestito all'Empoli". Juventus.com (in Italian). 10 July 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  21. ^ 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)
  22. ^ "Koni De Winter è un nuovo calciatore azzurro". Empoli FC (in Italian). 10 July 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  23. ^ 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)
  24. ^ "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.
  25. ^ "Koni De Winter è un giocatore del Genoa" (in Italian). Genoa CFC. 11 August 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  26. ^ "Official: How much Juventus earn from permanent defender's sale to Genoa". Football Italia. 3 May 2024.
  27. ^ "OFFICIAL STATEMENT: KONI DE WINTER". AC Milan. 13 August 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  28. ^ 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.
  29. ^ 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.
  30. ^ "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.
  31. ^ a b 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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