JULES KOUNDÉ
End of Koundé's incredible run with Barça: A record that defies the impossible
Against Mallorca, Jules Koundé ended the spectacular run of 86 consecutive matches for Barcelona. The French player had played every game since November 25, 2023.
Jules Koundé has established himself as a fundamental and resilient pillar in the FC Barcelona defense, reaching an impressive figure of 86 consecutive official matches played. This record underlines not only his exceptional physical condition but also the unwavering trust that the coaches have always placed in the French player. Want to discover his secret?
Until his absence in the match against Mallorca on April 22, 2025, Koundé had played all of Barça's official matches (since November 28, 2023), totaling 86 consecutive matches.
In the 2023/24 season, he played 39 official matches after that date (24 in LaLiga, 6 in Champions League, 3 in Copa, 2 in Supercopa, 4 with France). In the 2024/25 season, he had played 51 official matches with Barça, until April 19 (Barça 4-3 Celta).
Here we review the most relevant data and statistics of Koundé
Jules Kounde was born in Paris on November 12, 1998, into a family of Beninese origin. Although he started playing football in small clubs around the city of Bordeaux, in southwestern France, it wasn't until he was 14 years old that he passed the trials and joined the youth academy of a professional team, in this case, Girondins de Bordeaux.
- Age: 26 years old (born 11/12/1998)
- Height: 1.80 m (approx. 5'11")
- Weight: 75 kg (approx. 165 lbs)
- Jersey Number: 23 for Barcelona and the national team
📊 Individual Statistics (2024/25 season)
- Matches played: 51 (entire season)
- Minutes played: 4261
- Goals: 3
- Assists: 8
- Yellow cards: 5
- Red cards: 0
📊 By Competitions (2024/25, until April 22)
- LaLiga: 32 matches, 2 goals, 4 yellow cards
- Champions League: 12 matches, 0 goals, 1 yellow card
- Copa del Rey: 5 matches, 1 goal, 0 yellow cards
- Supercopa de España: 2 matches, 0 goals, 0 yellow cards
Koundé, Untouchable with Xavi, Hansi Flick, and Deschamps
Currently, Koundé is the most used footballer by the coaching staff, accumulating more minutes than any other player on the team in the 2024-2025 season. His consistency and physical condition have been key to maintaining this streak, and he has played both as a center-back and right-back, adapting to the needs of the team and showing great versatility.
Although he started as a center-back, Koundé has established himself as the starting right-back, adapting perfectly to the team's needs. This versatility has allowed him to be indispensable for his coaches, both at the club and in the national team.
Both Xavi Hernández and Hansi Flick at Barça, and Didier Deschamps in France, have placed full confidence in him, making him a starter or giving him minutes in practically all recent official matches.
His streak includes matches with both Barça and the French national team, adding more than 100 consecutive appearances between the two, demonstrating his consistency and reliability at the international level.
What is Koundé's secret to maintaining his physical performance?
Jules Koundé maintains his elite physical performance thanks to a combination of personalized training, intensive strength and jumping work, professional discipline, optimal rest and recovery management, and a high degree of commitment to the team.
All of this is complemented by a mentality focused on constant effort and continuous improvement.
✅ Personalized training and intensive physical work
Koundé has a personal trainer who works with him specifically, even with experience in the NFL, and who travels monthly to Barcelona to conduct exhaustive and personalized training focused especially on strength. It is common to see him training in the gym before and after sessions with the group, and he usually participates in additional exercises with the substitutes, which are more intense than those of the starters.
✅ Post-match gym routines
After the matches, Koundé has the habit of going to the gym to do dumbbell repetitions, showing a tireless work ethic and a strong personal discipline.
✅ Discipline and professional mentality
He is described as a player "eager" to play everything and with a privileged nature, but above all as a great professional who takes great care of himself. Koundé has stated that he identifies with the idea that hard work and discipline are a form of talent, and he recognizes that his success is due more to constant effort than to overflowing talent.
✅ Specific physical preparation
Koundé works on strength and jumping exercises, such as box jumps, to compensate for height differences against taller forwards and improve his aerial game. This type of training is inspired by his love of basketball and is fundamental to his defensive performance.
✅ Rest and recovery management
He carefully adjusts rest and recovery times, combining physical work with healthy habits and moments of disconnection with family and friends, which favors his management of stress and pressure. Nutrition and rest are essential components in his routine, as well as the confidence he feels from the coaches and the manager.
✅ Commitment and anticipation
Koundé has demonstrated his commitment by advancing his return to training after vacations or international competitions, showing great responsibility and a desire to always be available for the team.
The historical record of Barça is 136 consecutive matches
Although the absolute record of consecutive official matches in the history of the club was still far off (belonging to Antonio Torres, with 136 consecutive matches between 1969 and 1972), Koundé has come close to that historical mark.
His professionalism, physical care and the coaches' trust have been fundamental to sustain this level of demand and continuity. Will Koundé repeat such a streak?
