If you have not noticed Sevilla center-back Jules Koundé, it’s time for you to do so.
During his debut season in Spain, the 22-year-old Frenchman was an integral part of Sevilla’s successful Europa League campaign and continued to impress in 2020/21, with Chelsea now closing in on his signature.
It’s time to pay close attention to Koundé, and here’s all you need to know about him.
Kounde is known as Cafu among his teammates / PEDRO UGARTE / Getty Images
Although he is a center-back from the trade, Koundé has spent a lot of time as a right-back and his teammates in Sevilla were so impressed with his skills in general that they called him ‘Cafu’, after the iconic Brazilian defender.
“During training he takes the ball on the side, runs out and we shout:” There goes Cafu! “, Says center-back partner Diego Carlos to ESPN.
“He goes and does not come back, he advances until he is finished and scores goals. He is a boy who can go back and forth, has a lot of strength and power in his legs.”
Kounde once had real problems with losing / Quality Sport Images / Getty Images
In an interview with Onze Mondial, Koundé admitted that he has never handled the defeat well. When he was eight years old, he used to throw tantrums when his side lost and even stopped kicking his own mother in frustration.
He had to change teams because he could not afford to lose and finally had to see a psychiatrist to deal with his anger, which fortunately is no longer a problem.
Kounde dreams of having a real impact / Juan Manuel Serrano Arce / Getty Images
A look at Koundé’s Twitter account and you will see that the Frenchman is well aware that there is more to life than football.
Koundé prefers to use his influence to try to inspire change in the world and deal with various social, political and environmental issues to try to inspire change.
He draws inspiration from Nelson Mandela and also NBA star LeBron James, who uses his platform for the same reason.
Kounde is not blessed with real height / Quality Sport Images / Getty Images
When you think of a typical midfielder, Koundé will not often come to mind because of his physicality. He’s closer to 5’10, and that’s something he’s well aware will be seen as a problem.
“When I was growing up, it was often said that my size could be a problem for managers,” he told Foot Mercato. “I have always tried to compensate with my technique, with how I play from behind, it is very important,” he said shortly after breaking into Bordeaux’s first team.
“It’s true that sometimes at my height you can not always challenge in flight duels, but you can always handle the opponent. I’ve always had good timing, I like duels from the air and I jump relatively high, so it really helps. But my small size has never been a problem for me. ”
He loves an air battle / TF-Images / Getty Images
Despite his small frame, Koundé finished last season with one of the best records for flying duels in La Liga. According to the player himself, this is because opponents always underestimate him.
“I win more duels than Sergio Ramos because the opponents do not dare to play for a long time on Ramos,” Koundé explained. “They have to say to themselves’ It’s Jules Koundé, he’s not tall, we’ll take him down in the air.
“I’m often targeted, I feel it. And sometimes it’s pointed out to me. After games, I often hear it. When I watch my matches again, I realize that I play a lot more flying duels than the others. They say to themselves that it will be easier against Koundé, and that motivates me. “
People, Kounde is legitimately amazing.
You should be excited by the links. pic.twitter.com/iHkGPVDyEK
– ExpectedChelsea (@ExpectedChelsea) July 27, 2021
Koundé enjoys air combat, but one of his main qualities is his range. Bordeaux began to give him more influence towards the end of his time in France and Sevilla are rarely afraid to ask him to start his attacks.
He is known for his love of a long pass, and he definitely has the quality to pull them off, but a concern for Koundé is that he does not yet have the vision required to make him a big threat.
He often misses good runs from his teammates, but that is something that can be improved as he develops.
Thiago Silva is one of Kounde’s idols / Marc Atkins / Getty Images
You can often tell a lot about a young player from which other stars they like to watch. For Koundé, his favorite player is to watch the Frenchman Raphaël Varane, but there are some others he likes.
Koundé credits both Chelsea’s Thiago Silva and Paris Saint-Germain’s Sergio Ramos for helping him grow as a player, and he has always had the pleasure of facing these players during his career – make it what you want, Chelsea fans .
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