'A little taste of Sunday league': France's Jules Kounde has to remove necklace during Poland match

France's Jules Kounde was bizarrely told to remove a necklace over 40 minutes into their last 16 match with Poland.

The Barcelona right-back returned to the French starting XI after being rested in their defeat to Cameroon on Wednesday.

IFAB's Laws of the Game state 'all items of jewellery (necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, leather bands, rubber bands, etc.) are forbidden and must be removed. Using tape to cover jewellery is not permitted.'

But clearly, Kounde was able to escape detection by Venezuelan referee Jesus Valenzuela Saez as it took until the 41st minute for linesman Tulio Moreno to spot the two chains around the defender's neck.

BBC commentator Robyn Cowen said: "Jewellery, Jules Kounde."

Her co-commentator Dion Dublin replied: "Surely not. Got to be a way of getting this off before the game?"

Sparks responded: "A little taste of Sunday league at home." And Dublin joked: "I don't know anyone in Sunday league who can afford a gold chain."

Moreno stopped Kounde from taking a throw-in and a member of the France backroom team ran over to assist the French international in taking off the jewellery.

One viewer on Twitter said: "It's taken the officials 41 mins to notice that Jules Kounde has jewellery on when it's been so visible."

While another added: "As a PE teacher, seeing the linesman asking Kounde to take his gold chain off before restarting play has just made my job much easier!"

Kounde was not spotted wearing the jewellery in France's first two games of the tournament but has worn them in training and during warm-ups.

Moments later, Kounde's team-mate Olivier Giroud scored against Poland to become France's all-time top scorer with 52 goals.

Giroud, 36, had drawn level with Thierry Henry on 51 after netting a double in the defending champions' 4-1 win over Australia in their opening Group D game.

The AC Milan forward broke the record on his 117th appearance for France while Henry netted 51 times from 123 caps between 1997 and 2010.