Koundé Tops Most-Played Players List in 2024

French international Jules Koundé has emerged as the most-played footballer in 2024, with 69 matches under his belt, according to a study by the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES) published on Wednesday. The study sheds light on the ongoing debate regarding football’s congested schedule.

The 26-year-old center-back, who has frequently played as a right-back for both Barcelona and the French national team, has racked up an impressive 5,872 minutes on the field.

Koundé is on track to reach 70 matches on Saturday if he plays in Barcelona’s top-of-the-table clash against Atlético Madrid on the final matchday of 2024. He currently leads by approximately 300 minutes over Colombian John Arias of Fluminense, who has played 67 matches.

Uruguayan Federico Valverde of Real Madrid ranks third with 66 matches.

Another French player in the top ten is Arsenal defender William Saliba, who ranks tenth with 59 matches. Canadian forward Jonathan David of Lille is 17th on the list.

CIES noted that “the vast majority of minutes were played at the club level in domestic leagues: 73.2 percent.” The remaining minutes were nearly evenly split between continental club competitions and national team matches, including the Olympics, with 15.1 percent and 13.4 percent, respectively.

The issue of football’s congested calendar has become a major talking point this season, fueled by the revamped UEFA Champions League format and the expansion of the Club World Cup to a 32-team tournament set to take place next summer in the United States.

Players and their representatives, such as Manchester City midfielder Rodri, have regularly sounded the alarm about the growing workload, with Rodri even suggesting the possibility of a player strike before suffering a long-term injury.