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ROME, ITALY – JANUARY 25: Koni De Winter of AC Milan celebrates with teammates after scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between AS Roma and AC Milan at Stadio Olimpico on January 25, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
Milan defender Koni De Winter hopes that his performances with the Rossoneri this season will help him get a spot in the Belgium squad for the 2026 World Cup.
De Winter has become a regular starter at Milan in recent months, starting seven of the last eight Serie A matches.
The Belgium international moved to San Siro from Genoa last summer and has scored one goal in 18 appearances with the Rossoneri.
“I used to follow Milan’s games in the Champions League as a kid,” De Winter told Tuttosport (via Gianluca Di Marzio).
“My dad had done it even before I was born. I really liked Seedorf; he even wanted to call me Clarence.”
De Winter’s Juventus debut under Allegri
De Winter is a product of the Juventus Academy and made his senior debut with the Bianconeri under Massimiliano Allegri in 2021, in a Champions League match against Chelsea.
“It was nice to reunite with Allegri; I’m on excellent terms with him,” the defender said.
“When he has a target, he goes forward to accomplish it. When I arrived at Juventus, I felt disoriented, but when I trained with him, he was always very attentive. When he saw I was ready, he added me to the first team and gave me my senior debut.”
De Winter on his role models, Milan targets and World Cup
De Winter went on talk about his role models and Milan’s target this season.
“I’ve always liked Kompany and Thiago Silva,” he said.
“At Juventus, I only had to look to Chiellini, Bonucci and De Ligt to learn something. I’d be very happy if we return to the Champions League this season.”
I hope to live this experience. Being here in Milan will help me improve and get the call-up.
De Winter made his senior Belgium debut in 2024 under Domenico Tedesco and has made five appearances with his national team.
The 23-year-old has been regularly called up to the senior Belgian national team since June 2025.
ByLorenzo Bettoni
Lorenzo Bettoni is the Editor of Football Italia.
