Daniel Muñoz - Defender | First-Team

El hincha en la cancha

Full-back Daniel Muñoz signed for Palace from Belgian side K.R.C. Genk having built a reputation across the continent for combining his defensive duties with an attacking prowess going forwards.

Born in Amalfi, a modest town with a population of just over 22,000 in the Antioquia Department in north-east Colombia, Daniel Muñoz’s journey to the Premier League encapsulates the versatility, commitment, and passion he has become renowned for as a player.

Growing up near to Medellín – the second-largest city in Colombia – Muñoz’s boyhood team were Atlético Nacional, his local club and the nation’s most successful side. Pictures would later emerge on social of a teenage Muñoz in the stands, shirtless and roaring his Atlético heroes.

Starting out as a player at the nearby Cosmos Soccer School as a six-year-old, Muñoz moved to Envigado at 12 years of age – the youth department which has produced the likes of James Rodriguez, Freddy Guarín and Jhon Cordoba – before moving to Arco Zaragoza Medellin, one of the most famous amateur teams in Colombia.

But despite a handful of trials elsewhere, including reports of interest abroad, Muñoz reached the age of 20 without having made his professional breakthrough, and was reputedly forced to consider retirement.

Yet Muñoz persisted briefly turned out for regional club, FC Total Soccer, where his displays alerted him to Jose Fernando Salazar – a scout from top-flight club Águilas Doradas – who would later recruit the defender in early 2017.

Muñoz rose quickly to the challenges of the professional game, quickly becoming one of Águilas Doradas’ most important players and making 37 appearances in his first season.

Catching the eye during three years in Rionegro, he played 94 times and scored three goals from full-back – and would fulfil his lifelong dream when coach Juan Carlos Osorio signed him up for Atlético Nacional in 2019.

Once more, his impact was immediate, and before Muñoz had even reached double figures for appearances for Nacional, he had been called up by Colombia coach Carlos Quieroz for friendly matches against Brazil and Venezuela in September 2019, only denied his international debut by injury.

Scoring a remarkable seven goals in 20 league games in his maiden year, Muñoz was named Nacional captain at the age of 23, just six months after joining the club.

He opted to pursue his dream of playing in Europe at four-time Belgian champions K.R.C. Genk – rebuilding after a challenging campaign – ahead of the 2020/21 season, and Muñoz was once again quick to find his feet, starting out in midfield before coming to dominate the right-back position in the team.

He played in every one of Genk’s Jupiler Pro League fixtures in his debut year, picking up five assists as his new club bounced back from a seventh-place finish the previous season to mount a title challenge and finish second. The following season, he would help Genk win the Belgian Cup.

After two previous call-ups, Muñoz’s Colombia debut finally arrived in June 2021 in a World Cup qualifier against Peru.

Muñoz remained with the squad ahead of the 2021 Copa América finals in Brazil that month, playing the full 90 minutes in five of his country’s seven games – keeping three clean sheets – as Colombia missed out on a spot in the final after losing to Lionel Messi's Argentina on penalties, but then defeated Peru to finish third.

Last season, 2022/23, was his best in front of goal, as he scored seven times and registered seven assists in just 30 games. He departed Genk having made 148 appearances in all competitions (including 18 in European competition), scoring 19 goals and 20 assists in total.