Jules Koundé has already made his renewal as a player of FC Barcelona official. It should be remembered that the agreement for the contractual extension of the French defender until 2030 had been announced days ago; however, for scheduling reasons, the formal event had been postponed.
Finally, the signing of the new contract was finalized this Thursday, August 21. As usual, the event took place in the club's offices and was attended by illustrious figures from the Azulgrana board, such as the club's president, Joan Laporta, Rafa Yuste (sports vice president) and the sports director Deco.
"The sky is the limit": Koundé is ambitious after his renewal
Regarding his renewal, Koundé, elegant for the occasion, did not hesitate to express his satisfaction: "I am very happy to renew. It was quite simple. I am very comfortable and for me and for the club it was easy to reach an agreement," he commented after the signing that links him to the Catalan team until 2030.
Later, the French defender attended both the club's official media and other attendees at the press conference organized in the 'Commercial Office' (the FCB Store in front of the Palau). From this, he spoke about his objectives: "The sky is the limit. That is my objective. We are lucky to be in a club that competes for all the titles. We are going for more to surpass what we did last season."
"The sky is the limit. That is my objective."
In turn, the Parisian also highlighted his pride in his career at the Azulgrana team, where he is already one of the French players with the most matches played: "It is a pleasure to have played so many matches with Barça. I hope I can surpass Abidal as the French player with the most matches at Barça."
TOP 5 FRENCH PLAYERS WITH THE MOST MATCHES IN THE HISTORY OF FC BARCELONA:
- Éric Abidal: 193 matches
- Ousmane Dembélé: 185 matches
- Clément Lenglet: 160 matches
- Jules Koundé: 142 matches
- Samuel Umtiti: 133 matches
His best moments with Barça: League, Cup and unforgettable goal
When reflecting on his most special moments with the Culé shirt, the former Sevilla player chose two: "Being LaLiga champions against Espanyol was very beautiful in my first season," he confessed.
And he added another recent memory, the great goal in the 2024/25 Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid: "Especially the Clásico in the Cup final, a very beautiful match and being able to score the goal in the 116th minute."
📺️ RELIVE JULES KOUNDÉ'S GREAT GOAL VS. REAL MADRID IN THE 2024/25 COPA DEL REY:
In addition, he sent a message to the culers:
"The affection of the people is incredible. Every time I walk around Barcelona, people are very kind to me. I enjoy it and value it. I hope to give them another joy."
His role in the Culé team and the internal competition with Eric García
In a press conference, Koundé also spoke about his favorite position: "I always say that I am a center-back converted into a full-back. But I am very comfortable playing as a full-back, more and more comfortable. It depends on the coach," he said.
Regarding the competition for that place, he praised Eric García: "I see him very well. I like the competition. Eric is a great player. I am very demanding with myself and I work to improve every year," he said.
Champions League objective and the illusion of returning to the Camp Nou
The former Bordeaux player did not hide what the great goal of the season is: winning the Champions League. "I don't see it as dangerous to have that objective. People demand it because they see that we have the material to do it. People really like this team and the way they play. We notice it on the field, on a walk or on tour. That's why I don't see it as a danger. The Champions League is our objective, not our danger. We are at Barça. Without obsessing. But it is an objective, of course it is," he warned.
"The Champions League is our objective, not our danger. We are at Barça. Without obsessing. But it is an objective, of course it is."
On the subject of the Champions League he added that: "Anything that is not winning it is not a failure, but our objective is to win it, of course. It is the competition that generates the most illusion. Not only at Barça. It is the tournament that generates the most relevance. And we all dream of winning it," he emphasized.
| MATCHES | G | A | MIN. PLAYED | TITLES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 142 | 7 | 18 | 11.991' | 5: LaLiga Champion (2022/23 and 2024/25). Spanish Super Cup Champion (2023 and 2025). Copa del Rey Champion (2024/25) |
Now, about the return to Spotify Camp Nou, he was excited: "We are very excited. Everything is not fixed, but it is on the right track. Returning to the Camp Nou will be special because it also influences the rivals. It is a historic and very large stadium," he pointed out.
Strategic renewal and praise for Lamine Yamal
Koundé also celebrated that his signing has helped in the registration of new additions: "The club has gone through difficult times. We are much better in sports and economically. And if my signing has helped any registration, I am delighted. I have not talked about it with my teammates, however," he commented.
Finally, Jules spoke about his relationship with the Azulgrana jewel, Lamine Yamal: "Harm, impossible, We have a very good relationship. He is an extraordinary, brilliant player, but, above all, he is a team player. He works for the team. He is not going to defend like one more because he needs this energy to decide up there. I don't mind defending a little more if the guy plays these great games, scoring and assisting."
Also, about a possible Ballon d'Or for the '10' culé, he preferred not to get too wet: "You put me in a bind because Dembélé is also there. I will only say that Lamine deserves it if he wins it, with other players who have also had a very good season," he concluded.