While the general perception of a football player is still primarily extracted from their performances on the pitch, it would be naive to discount the amount of influence their fashion sense can have on fans.
The ‘talking’, so to speak, is still done on the pitch, but if a player adds a few fashionable fits to their repertoire, their stock is sure to rise.
The modern-day footballer doesn’t just turn up to games sporting a flavourless tracksuit with bland expressions, instead, they arrive dripped to the max, flaunting the greatest pieces of apparel present in their wardrobes.
Over the years, many players have mastered the art of the ‘cold fit’, we’re talking Paul Pogba, David Beckham, Memphis Depay and many others.
But at the moment, there’s nobody who does it better than Barcelona’s defensive lynchpin, Jules Kounde.
The 24-year-old is well-versed in the ‘sauce’, and for the past few matchdays, he has been serving up some truly elegant looks.
The Frenchman has never been one to compromise on the drip, after all, he literally wore an iced-out chain during a World Cup tie against Poland back in December.
Since the return of club football, Kounde has continued to up the fashion ante, mainly through some excellently put-together pre-match outfits.
Take his most recent fit for example, as Kounde showed up to Barca’s game against Real Sociedad sporting an all-denim affair.
Front and centre was a clean Lacoste x A.P.C hoodie, paired alongside a duckbill hat bearing the New York Yankees logo, and a pair of Vincent Chase’s to top it all off.
In summary, the fit was as breezy as it gets.
He somehow matched the drip levels on the pitch too, sporting a rare long-sleeved kit, black pair of gloves and his immaculately maintained dreads.
Magnifique.
In case you still think that there’s another player out there doing it better, take a look at this semi-formal ensemble.
It’s all business up front with the tried and tested pullover and trouser combination, but Kounde just had to add a bit of sauce to it, enter a Hermes handbag and a quirky Louis Vuttion hat.
It’s minimal drip, maximum effect.
Kounde’s catalogue includes various other elaborate fits that all help cement our original case.
The Frenchman really is the ‘drip king’ of football, for the time being at least.