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The physical toll on the world’s best players has been a frequent topic of conversation in recent months following a series of serious injuries. Unsurprisingly, Real Madrid and Barcelona have two of the three most used players in the world’s top 66 leagues in 2024.
Fede Valverde has only missed one of Real Madrid’s last 71 games and occupies third place on the list prepared by the CIES Football Observatory. He has just added 90 minutes in the Intercontinental Cup to his total of 5,573, which places him in second position, ahead of Jhon Arias of Fluminense. In total, those minutes add up to 66 games.
The youngest field players among the 💯 with the most official senior match minutes in 2⃣0⃣2⃣4⃣ 🪨
🥇 #TylerBindon 🇳🇿 19.88 years
🥈 #MathiasDelorge 🇧🇪 20.38
🥉 #JudeBellingham 🏴ڠڠڠڠڠڠ 21.46#guardiol 🇭🇷 #Emphasis 🇪🇨 #Caicedo 🇪🇨 #Dweh 🇱🇷 #GabrielXavier 🇧🇷 #Cross 🇫🇷 #Kaique 🇧🇷
More 👉… pic.twitter.com/7vLnST1q3L– CIES football observations (@CIES_Football) December 18, 2024
The records, which include international caps, put Jules Kounde well ahead with 5,872 minutes, which would allow him to finish with the most minutes of any player in the calendar year. He has made 69 appearances for Barcelona and France, and will likely play 70 this weekend in La Liga against Atlético Madrid.
Jules Koundé will close 2024 with a world record. The French defender has played 69 official matches throughout the year, accumulating 5,872 minutes with his club and country. This is the highest number of minutes recorded by any field player, according to the CIES Sports Observatory. Through…
— Barcacentre (@barcacentre) December 18, 2024
The only other La Liga player to feature in the top 20 was Real Madrid’s Antonio Rudiger. The German centre-back has been the only constant in Carlo Ancelotti’s defence, and his complete game against Pachuca gives him a total of 5,293 minutes in 61 games. That puts him in ninth place.
Of the top 100 ranked players, the youngest players who appeared were also ranked. Unsurprisingly, England star Jude Bellingham is also in the top three. The 21-year-old suffered the occasional injury in 2024, but has also played 4,669 minutes.
That workload has taken its toll on both Barcelona and Real Madrid in recent years. Cruciate ligament injuries have sidelined Dani Carvajal, Thibaut Courtois, David Alaba, Gavi and Eder Militão, twice in the case of the Brazilian. The Catalan team has also suffered major injuries to Andreas Christensen, Ronald Araujo, Frenkie de Jong, as well as major problems for Pedri beforehand.
