Barcelona’s iron man – Key defender has surpassed 4,000 minutes without breaking a sweat | OneFootball

Barcelona defender Jules Kounde has returned from the international break with a staggering 210 minutes played, featuring in both legs of France’s Nations League quarter-final against Croatia.

Across those two matches, he accumulated 90 minutes in the first leg and a gruelling 120 minutes in the second, further cementing his reputation as one of the most durable players in world football.

With those latest minutes, Kounde has now surpassed the 4,000-minute mark this season—an extraordinary feat that highlights his physical resilience.

Prior to the international break, he had already played 3,995 minutes, and his total tally now stands at 4,205 minutes out of a possible 4,590.

That equates to a remarkable 91.6% of available game time across both Barcelona and the French national team.

A brief breakdown

At club level, Kounde has featured in 3,541 minutes for Barça out of a potential 3,870, while with France, he has played 664 minutes from a possible 750.

His consistency is unmatched, even among his Barcelona teammates. Not even Raphinha—who has also been a near-constant presence—has reached the 4,000-minute mark.

Jules Kounde has clocked over 4000 minutes this season. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

Despite the heavy workload, Kounde has shown no visible signs of fatigue. His ability to maintain intensity, particularly when doubling up with Lamine Yamal to create space and one-on-one situations, has been invaluable.

However, there are lingering concerns about how long he can sustain this level as the season reaches its decisive phase.

Settled in well

Interestingly, Kounde seems to have finally moved past his insistence on playing as a centre-back. Under Hansi Flick, he has fully embraced the right-back role, delivering consistent performances with tireless energy.

Interestingly, Flick’s reluctance to rely on Hector Fort has only reinforced Kounde’s status as an undisputed starter, and he has seemingly found satisfaction in his role.

Now, As Barcelona enter the business end of the season, managing Kounde’s minutes could become crucial to ensuring he remains at peak performance.

But for now, he continues to power through, proving that he truly is one of the most physically reliable assets in the squad.