KONI DE WINTER: FOCUS AND FUN FACTS | OneFootball

A defender who, despite his young age, already has valuable experience, Koni De Winter is the sixth new arrival of the Rossoneri’s summer. The Belgian joins AC Milan from Genoa with several seasons of Serie A football under his belt, having completed his footballing education in Italy. A versatile player who can play both at centre-back and full-back, he looks a good fit for the Rossoneri's backline.

Born in Antwerp on 12 June 2002, De Winter is a player with remarkable physical strength. Alongside that, he possesses notable speed - both physically and mentally - which isn't all too common for an athlete of his stature. Strong in the air, he is also at ease with building play from the back, having occasionally operated as a defensive midfielder in his career. Overall, Koni is comfortable playing in a back three or a back four, and he can also slot in as a right-back.

We mentioned his footballing education and the role Italy has played. Indeed, after initial spells in the youth setups at Lierse and Zulte Waregem, Italy came into Koni De Winter's life in the summer of 2018, when he became the first Belgian player in Juventus' history. He stood out in the youth ranks at Juve, earning his first call-up to the First Team in October 2020 for a Champions League clash against Barcelona.

The following year saw him gain valuable experience in Serie C with Juve Next Gen, making 31 appearances across the league, playoffs and Coppa Italia. On 23 November 2021, De Winter played the final 10 minutes of a Champions League match against Chelsea, with Massimiliano Allegri then placing his trust in him as a starter in the next game against Malmö. It was a historic appearance, as it made De Winter the youngest ever Juventus player to start in the Champions League.

His situation changed in July 2022, when he moved on loan to Empoli. In Tuscany, he made his Serie A debut in a goalless draw against Fiorentina in August before going on to make 14 appearances, earning praise from everyone at the club. The following summer, after featuring for Belgium in the European Under-21 Championship, he joined Genoa, who had just earned promotion back to the top flight. With the Grifone, he established himself as a key player over two seasons, making 57 appearances between 2023 and 2025 and scoring his first top-flight goals in the 2024/25 Serie A campaign.

De Winter impressed at Genoa with his composure and ability to adapt between two defensive setups. Gilardino's Rossoblù defended with a low, compact block, while Genoa have tended to operate with a higher defensive line under Vieira. These differences didn't affect De Winter's performances, which were so strong they earned him his first senior caps for Belgium. To date, he has made four appearances for his country, including two starts in June during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

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