{{Short description|German-Kyrgyz footballer (born 2004)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Kimi Merk | image = | caption = | full_name = Kimi Björn Merk | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2004|7|6|df=y}} | birth_place = Pirmasens, Germany | height = 1.78 m | position = Midfielder | currentclub = | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = 2019–2021 | youthclubs1 = 1. FC Kaiserslautern | years1 = 2022–2023 | clubs1 = 1. FC Kaiserslautern II | caps1 = 7 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2023–2025 | clubs2 = Pakhtakor Tashkent | caps2 = 16 | goals2 = 3 | years3 = 2025 | clubs3 = Dordoi Bishkek | caps3 = 12 | goals3 = 5 | nationalyears1 = 2023– | nationalteam1 = Kyrgyzstan U20 | nationalcaps1 = 3 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | nationalyears2 = 2023– | nationalteam2 = Kyrgyzstan | nationalcaps2 = 8 | nationalgoals2 = 1 | club-update = 11 March 2025 | nationalteam-update = March 2024 }}
'''Kimi Björn Merk''' ({{langx|ky|Кими Бөрн Мерк}}; born 6 July 2004) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Dordoi Bishkek. Born in Germany, he represents the Kyrgyzstan national team.
His brother Kai is also a footballer.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kai Merk: I was in tears making my Kyrgyz Republic debut|url=https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/kai-merk-tears-kyrgyz-republic-debut |publisher=FIFA |date=2 February 2024}}</ref>
==Club career== On 21 July 2023, Pakhtakor Tashkent announced the signing of Merk.<ref>{{cite web |title=КИМИ МЕРК "ПАХТАКОР" ФУТБОЛЧИСИГА АЙЛАНДИ |url=http://www.pakhtakor.uz/news/cnews/6842 |website=pakhtakor.uz |publisher=Pakhtakor Tashkent FK |access-date=21 July 2023 |language=Uzbek |date=21 July 2023}}</ref>
On 9 March 2025, Dordoi Bishkek announced the singing of Merk to a six-month contract.<ref>{{cite web |title=Кими Мерк - игрок ФК «Дордой» |url=https://fc-dordoi.kg/novosti/novosti-kluba/2025-03-09-07-56-58 |website=fc-dordoi.kg |publisher=FC Dordoi Bishkek |access-date=11 March 2025 |language=Russian |date=9 March 2025}}</ref> On 23 June 2025, Dordoi Bishkek announced the departure of Merk at the end of his contract, having scored five goals in twelve appearances.<ref>{{cite web |title=Рахмат, Кими! 🤝 |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/DLP36RhI_Sr/?hl=en |website=instagram.com/fcdordoi/?hl=en |publisher=FC Dordoi Bishkek Instagram |access-date=24 June 2025 |language=Kyrgyz |date=23 June 2025}}</ref>
==International career== Merk made his debut for the Kyrgyzstan main team on 12 October 2023 in a Friendly match against Bahrain.<ref>[https://www.national-football-teams.com/matches/report/37611/Bahrain_Kyrgyzstan.html Bahrain 2–0 Kyrgyzstan]</ref>
==Career statistics== ''Statistics accurate as of match played 26 March 2024.''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- !colspan=3|Kyrgyzstan national team |- !Year!!Apps!!Goals |- |2023||4||0 |- |2024||4||1 |- !Total||8||1 |}
===International goals=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! No. !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition |- | 1. || 26 March 2024 || Dolen Omurzakov Stadium, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan || {{fb|TPE}} || align=center|'''5'''–1 || align=center|5–1 || 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{NFT|92719}} * {{Soccerway|kimi-bjorn-merk/671619}} * {{WorldFootball.net|kimi-merk}}
{{Kyrgyzstan squad 2023 AFC Asian Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Merk, Kimi}} Category:2004 births Category:Living people Category:People from Südwestpfalz Category:German people of Kyrgyzstani descent Category:Kyrgyzstani men's footballers Category:21st-century Kyrgyzstani sportsmen Category:German men's footballers Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Kyrgyzstan men's international footballers Category:Regionalliga players Category:1. FC Kaiserslautern II players Category:Pakhtakor Tashkent FK players Category:Uzbekistan Super League players Category:Kyrgyzstani expatriate men's footballers Category:German expatriate men's footballers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Uzbekistan Category:Kyrgyzstani expatriate sportspeople in Uzbekistan Category:2023 AFC Asian Cup players Category:21st-century German sportsmen