France defender Jules Koundé faces an intensifying battle for his starting position both internationally under head coach Zinédine Zidane and at club level with FC Barcelona, where Hansi Flick has reshaped the defensive hierarchy. The 27-year-old fullback, who became the most-capped French player in Barcelona’s history with 193 appearances alongside Éric Abidal, addressed his shifting status during a September press conference reported by Foot Mercato and Sud Ouest.
Zinédine Zidane Adjusts France’s Defensive Setup
Under former manager Didier Deschamps, Koundé held an almost untouchable role, featuring heavily at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the subsequent European Championship, and summer fixtures in the United States. However, the arrival of Zinédine Zidane has brought a tactical restructuring featuring higher-positioned fullbacks and aggressive pressing from the front line.
During the September international break, Zidane handed Koundé a start in Turkey—where the defender recorded 66 percent duels won, five ball recoveries, and one interception—before leaving him on the bench against Belgium and during a 0–0 draw against Italy in favor of Pierre Kalulu. Despite the rotation, Zidane dismissed speculation regarding the player’s long-term standing in comments reported by Sud Ouest: Il est là, il a joué le premier match, il n’y a pas de sujet. Ce rassemblement permet d’utiliser tous les joueurs mais Jules a montré qu’il a sa place en équipe de France.
In a further sign of backing within the new setup, Zidane appointed Koundé as one of his vice-captains, placing him alongside Ousmane Dembélé and Adrien Rabiot behind captain Kylian Mbappé.
Internal Rivalry and Competition for the Blue Jersey
Faced with mounting pressure from emerging squad members, Koundé maintained a pragmatic view on his selection prospects during his media appearance. Plus en danger, non, il y a toujours eu de la concurrence en équipe de France,
Koundé stated, as covered by Foot Mercato. Les nouveaux, le coach leur demande d’être eux-mêmes, de reproduire ce qu’ils font en club. Ils sont tous bien intégrés, beaucoup se connaissaient déjà. L’intégration se passe bien.
The emergence of Pierre Kalulu has provided Zidane with viable tactical alternatives on the right side of defense. Acknowledging the internal battle, Koundé emphasized that his primary focus remains personal performance rather than external competition. La concurrence, il y a en a toujours eu. En équipe de France, on ne peut pas se reposer sur ses lauriers, rien n’est acquis. C’est une source de motivation même si la course est avant tout contre moi-même. J’essaye d’être la meilleure version de moi-même,
he added.
Hansi Flick Alters the Hierarchy at Barcelona
The turbulence at international level traces back directly to difficulties in Catalonia. Following a 2025–26 club campaign that fell short of his usual standards, Koundé found himself deployed behind Éric Garcia in Hansi Flick’s plans at FC Barcelona. Sud Ouest noted that Flick even tested the former Girondins de Bordeaux product in his original central defensive position during training sessions, while transfer inquiries briefly surfaced.
Despite missing out on the regular starting XI at the start of the club season, Koundé accumulated minutes by stepping in for an injured Garcia across three matches, alongside two substitute appearances, elevating his appearance total to 193 matches for the Catalan club—surpassing Ousmane Dembélé’s mark of 185 games.
Addressing his demotion at club level, Koundé accepted responsibility for regaining his spot in Flick’s lineup. C’est un choix du coach et c’est aussi une conséquence de la saison dernière,
Koundé explained to Foot Mercato. La saison passée était très en-dessous de mes standards, c’est un challenge que j’accepte volontiers. C’est à moi de retrouver mes meilleures sensations, quand je suis dans mes meilleures dispositions, je peux occuper cette position.
France Prepares for Belgium with Expected Squad Rotations
France prepares to face Belgium in international action following the September fixtures, with squad rotations expected to continue as Zidane evaluates his player pool. Koundé remains a contender to feature in the upcoming fixture schedule as both club and international managers test alternative tactical configurations ahead of upcoming competitive tournaments.
