Jules Koundé has added another French landmark to his Barcelona story. Starting against Getafe in La Liga on Saturday, the 27-year-old defender made his 194th appearance for the Catalan club, moving clear of Éric Abidal as Barcelona’s most-capped French player.
Key takeaways
- Koundé reached 194 Barcelona matches after being named in the starting side against Getafe.
- He has overtaken former defender Éric Abidal, who played 193 times for the club between 2007 and 2013.
- The France international has scored 10 goals since joining Barcelona from Sevilla in 2022.
- Ousmane Dembélé is third among French appearance-makers at Barcelona, with 185 games.
- Koundé has won three Spanish league titles, one Copa del Rey and three Spanish Super Cups with Barcelona.
A French record in Catalonia
The Getafe fixture marked a new high point in Koundé’s four seasons at Barcelona. His 194 appearances put him ahead of Abidal, another French defender whose time at the club included Champions League triumphs in 2009 and 2011.
Dembélé, who represented Barcelona from 2017 until 2023, remains third on the French list after making 185 appearances. Koundé now stands alone at the top, having become a regular presence across domestic and European competition since his move from Sevilla.
Appearances and trophies
Koundé’s Barcelona total is spread across five competitions. He has played 131 times in La Liga, 35 times in the Champions League, 18 Copa del Rey matches, eight Spanish Super Cup games and two Europa League fixtures.
His silverware haul includes league championships in 2023, 2025 and 2026. Barcelona also won the Copa del Rey in 2025 during his spell, while Koundé has lifted the Spanish Super Cup in 2023, 2025 and 2026.
For a player who arrived from Sevilla in 2022, the record is another measure of his durability at one of Europe’s most demanding clubs. On Saturday, against Getafe, a French defender passed one of Barcelona’s most admired French defenders of the modern era.
