The defender of FC Barcelona and the French team, Jules Koundé, has established himself as a real pillar this year, becoming the most used player in the world in 2024. Between his remarkable performances for club and national team, he illustrates the problem of overloaded calendars in modern football.
An exceptional record for Jules Koundé
With 69 matches played and 5,872 minutes accumulated as of December 15, Koundé has played more games than any other player this year. This performance exceeds that of the Colombian Jhon Arias (67 matches, 5599 minutes) and the Uruguayan Federico Valverde (66 matches, 5573 minutes). A central defender by training, Koundé established himself as right-back, demonstrating his defensive and offensive efficiency. Notably, during the 5-2 victory against Red Star Belgrade, he provided three assists. On Saturday, against Atlético Madrid, he should cross the 70-match mark in 2024.
This performance comes against a backdrop of overloaded schedules, where players like Koundé are called upon by ever-increasing competitions, raising concerns about their physical and mental health.
