‘I have that ambition’… 26-year-old Barcelona star vows to become one of the club’s greatest full-backs | OneFootball

Although he used to play primarily as a centre-back and even had issues with Xavi Hernandez when the former FC Barcelona coach tried to continue playing him on the right flank, things have now changed significantly with Jules Kounde.

The Frenchman has been one of La Blaugrana’s most consistent players this season and also holds the record for the highest number of minutes played. Featuring exclusively as a right-back, he has made 42 appearances across all competitions, accumulating 3,455 minutes on the pitch.

Furthermore, the defender also made his openness to keep playing as a fullback going forward as he spoke to Barca One recently. As SPORT has reported, Kounde made it clear that he is looking to become one of the best players in the Catalan club’s history in this position:

“I have that ambition, it’s true. Because whether it’s in football or a card game, I always want to win and be the best. So I have that ambition, but the road is very long because many great full-backs have played for Barça and in general.”

The French defender also highlighted his main preference between attack and defence, and highlighted the changes he has had to make to his game to adapt to this position:

“Defending, always defending. I’ve been a defender since I was 13 years old, I have the soul of a defender… Full-backs here are expected to do more, they are asked for more. It’s understandable. That’s why I’m trying to become more confident with the ball and work on an offensive plan to help the team more.”

Further commenting on these changes, the 26-year-old Barcelona defender said:

“I’m comfortable in this position. It’s true that it’s very different from playing as a centre-back. So I still need to work on some concepts, especially with the ball. I think that without the ball, of course, there are differences, but it’s easier for me.”

There is no doubt that Kounde has already proven his ability to play as a right-back at the highest level this season. But as he himself admitted, he can further polish his offensive game to become an even more complete fullback, and hopefully, achieve his ambition of being one of the best players in this position in Barcelona’s history.