Jules Olivier Koundé has been a growing name in football since he signed for Sevilla from Girondins Bordeaux in 2019. The French defender made a name for himself in La Liga at Seville, to the point he helped the club win the 2019/20 Europa League against the likes of Inter Milan.
It was during this period of his career that Koundé stood out as a center-back, becoming one of the most sought-after players in that position. There were some debates regarding how he was suited for that position at a big club, although he was still performing with Sevilla.
His big opportunity came when he was signed by FC Barcelona under the tutelage of then-manager Xavi Hernandez in the summer of 2022. It was a complicated financial era for the club, and the Frenchman missed the first two league games of the season because the club couldn’t register him due to salary caps.
However, once that situation was resolved, he became a regular starter for the Spanish giants, although he has switched to perform as a right-back. The general perception is that this change has been for the better in his career, allowing him to maintain his defensive qualities and contribute on offense.
There is also a running joke in the Barcelona fanbase that Kounde is gay, mainly because of his eccentric clothing style and looks. Moreover, there is also the fact that the France international has been quite reserved regarding his private life and didn’t use to post any pictures or videos on social media when it comes to having a woman as his partner.
However, the player recently posted a photo in social media where he is seen jokingly choked by a hand of a woman, which has resulted in some fans claiming that he “beat the allegations”. It is something that the vast majority of the fans have taken as mainly a joke.
Naturally, Kounde’s inclinations when it comes to romantic partners are not a problem whatsoever. It is merely a running joke that Barcelona fans have pointed out, especially regarding how the player tends to keep his life private regardless of the situation.
There was a report back in October, 2024, that Kounde’s partner could be the American influencer Diamond Foster. The two of them were seen together in a couple of photos, which prompted a lot of people to theorize they could be an item.
In many ways, it can be argued that this only reinforces the idea that Kounde was always straight. There is no major issue with that and is only something that highlights people have gotten used to players posting everything about their personal lives online.
The picture itself is part of a collage that the defender posted on Instagram from his vacation. The player is now back in Barcelona and starting preseason with the squad, with La Liga starting next month.
Regardless of that, it was also recently reported that FC Barcelona views Kounde as the best right-back in the world and are eager to give him a new contract to secure him for the long term. There were some recent rumors linking him with Manchester City, with the English team eyeing a potential signing, although it seems that everything is set for the Frenchman to stay at the Camp Nou for the foreseeable future.
