Barcelona defender Jules Kounde revealed that he wouldn’t recommend fans placing footballers on a pedestal, while acknowledging the heroic sacrifices made by men and women for their families.
The 27-year-old Kounde shed light on the position of financial luxury footballers enjoy as compared to those who toil hard to earn and provide for their families.
“Football players can go six months or even a whole year without getting paid and still live comfortably, without it affecting them at all,” Kounde said.
“Unlike the people who leave their homes at 7am and come back at 8pm, just to earn a small amount for their families,” he added.
“I don’t get why fans look up to football players as role models. I wouldn’t recommend it. The real role model is the
dad who works hard every day for his family,” the French international said.
Kounde, who played an important role in the side’s title-clinching season las year under head coach Hansi Flick, continues to be a crucial member at the Blaugrana as the Catalan-based side look to defend their crown.
Barca stand at the top of the Spanish top-flight at the end of 18 games with 48 points to their name with 15 win, a draw and a couple of defeats thus far in the campaign, four points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid.
Kounde, who had youth spells at Fraternelle Landiras, Cerons, and La Brede before breaking through at Bordeaux, where he earned a name for himself. His showing for Les Girondins earned him a move to La Liga side Sevilla in the year 2019, before being snapped up by Barcelona in the year 2022.
Kounde has gone on to represent the Blaugrana over a century of times, clinching the League title twice, in addition to the Supercopa de Espana twice and the Copa Del Rey once.
