KoniDe Winter

Koni De Winter was born in Antwerp on 12 June 2002 and grew up footballing-wise in the youth academies of Lierse and Zulte Waregem, developing as a physically strong defender who is also comfortable with the ball at his feet and dominant in the air. At 16 he moved to Italy, joining the Juventus academy, where he became the first Belgian player in the club's history. With the Bianconeri he stood out in the youth setup and earned some first-team call-ups: he was given his debut by Massimiliano Allegri, who used him in the Champions League matches against Chelsea and Malmö in 2021/22, a season in which De Winter also gained experience in Serie C with Juventus Next Gen.

In July 2022 he joined Empoli on loan, making his Serie A debut and proving a reliable option with 14 appearances. A new experience followed the next summer, when he joined Genoa, freshly promoted to the top flight. With the Grifone he played a leading role in his first two top-flight campaigns (57 appearances and 3 goals in two seasons), earning a call-up to the senior Belgium side (7 caps by June 2026, the month in which he took part in the 2026 World Cup) and attracting AC Milan's interest, with the Rossoneri signing him in August 2025. In Rossonero colours he made 29 appearances across all competitions in 2025/26, scoring a goal at the Olimpico against Roma.