Jules Koundé, Barcelona’s starting right-back and one of France’s most important defenders, picked up a left hamstring injury during a pre-tournament friendly against Northern Ireland. He was pulled at halftime of a match France won 3-1, and now faces a race against time to be fit for the World Cup 2026 opener against Senegal on June 16 at MetLife Stadium.
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What happened and what’s at stake
The injury occurred during France’s warm-up match on or around June 9-10, 2026. Koundé reportedly suffered damage to his left biceps femoris, which is the technical name for one of the three hamstring muscles. The coaching staff didn’t want him playing the second half of a match that didn’t count.
This isn’t an isolated incident. Koundé dealt with a left hamstring injury back in March 2026 that kept him sidelined for nearly three weeks. Recurring muscle injuries in the same area are the kind of pattern that makes medical staff nervous, especially when you’re six days out from the biggest tournament in world football.
