December 19 – FC Barcelona defender Jules Koundé has emerged as the most-used outfield player in world football, according to the latest CIES Football Observatory report. The French international clocked an extraordinary 5,872 minutes across 69 matches, showcasing both his durability and importance to club and country.
Hot on his heels are Fluminense’s Colombian John Arias (5,599 minutes) and Real Madrid’s utility midfielder Federico Valverde (5,573).
The next three places are occupied by players over the age of 30: Dutchman Virgil van Dijk (33.4), Argentina’s Nicolás Otamendi (36.8) and Switzerland’s Granit Xhaka (32.2).
Alongside Van Dijk, Arsenal’s William Saliba (5,264 minutes) and Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes (5,151 minutes) are the top-used players in the Premier League.
From Major League Soccer, Los Angeles FC’s Denis Bouanga earned recognition as the most-used player, reflecting his pivotal role in MLS action this season.
The report highlights the workload balance among the 100 most-used outfield players globally. A whopping 73.2% of their minutes were spent in domestic club competitions, emphasising the intensity of league seasons.
The remaining minutes were nearly evenly split between international club competitions (15.1%) and national team duties (13.4%), which includes appearances at major tournaments like the Olympic Games.
Koundé’s monumental tally underscores not only his reliability but also the growing physical demands placed on modern players as football’s calendar becomes increasingly congested. With domestic and international competitions vying for priority, the ability to balance performance and recovery has never been more critical.
FIFA’s expanded and remodelled Club World Cup is set to add yet another fitness challenge for the world’s elite players, growing their football calendar into what used to be the off-season. It remains to be seen how teams respond to the tournament, with many expected to rest their star players despite FIFA’s eagerness to build a competition to rival the UEFA Champions League.
To see the full ranking, click here.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, atmoc.l1734623838labto1734623838ofdlr1734623838owedi1734623838sni@g1734623838niwe.1734623838yrrah1734623838