INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) 鈥� Spain goalkeeper Unai Sim贸n has the longest shutout streak in World Cup history, breaking a 36-year-old record while Thursday for his fourth consecutive clean sheet in this .
Sim贸n hasn’t allowed a goal in 519 consecutive minutes across the past two World Cups. He broke the record set in 1990 by famed Italy goalkeeper Walter Zenga, who recorded 517 straight scoreless minutes and five consecutive clean sheets in his home World Cup.
The 29-year-old Athletic Bilbao mainstay isn’t the most famous goalkeeper in this competition 鈥� or even on his own team 鈥� but Sim贸n’s outstanding play at the back of Spain’s superb defense has launched him into the World Cup record books.
Spain has yet to allow a goal at this World Cup, and its Basque backstop has only had to make four saves 鈥� none against Austria, which got none of its five shots on target.
鈥淚 feel proud of him,鈥� Spain coach Luis De La Fuente said. 鈥淚 feel like he is a member of my family. I鈥檓 very happy for him.鈥�
Sim贸n has been Spain’s first choice in net for most of the past half-decade, keeping the job despite roster competition from David Raya and Joan Garcia, the championship-winning goalkeepers in two of Europe’s four biggest leagues. Sim贸n has spent his club career on smaller stages with Bilbao, which only reached the Champions League for the first time in his career last season.
Sim贸n owes his international success to his stellar results and to his tight bond with De La Fuente, who has largely resisted calls to give more playing time to his goalkeeping options with more accomplished club careers.
Sim贸n and De La Fuente have been bonded since 2015, when the coach and his 18-year-old keeper won the European Under-19 championship in Greece. They stayed together in Spain’s youth system and then reunited in early 2023, when De La Fuente took over the senior national team and promptly embarked on one of the most successful stretches in Spain’s proud history.
Under De La Fuente, Spain has just one loss in 37 competitive matches, going unbeaten in its last 35 straight 鈥� a streak which includes a loss on penalties to Portugal in the 2025 Nations League. Spain has won the 2023 Nations League and the 2024 European Championship with Sim贸n in net, and now it has won a World Cup knockout match for the first time in 16 years.
Sim贸n and Spain allowed just three goals in four matches at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, but still went home early. Sim贸n’s shutout streak started during Spain’s 2-1 loss to Japan, and it continued through a scoreless draw with Morocco, which ultimately knocked out Spain by converting three of its four penalties against Sim贸n.
In North America, nobody has been able to beat Sim贸n 鈥� and only Uruguay has managed more than one shot on goal among Spain’s four opponents.
鈥�(Sim贸n) played a very big role in the victory, but it鈥檚 not just about individuals,鈥� De La Fuente said after beating Austria. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about the whole group coming together for that defensive effort.鈥�
Early in the second half against Austria, Sim贸n also surpassed the Spanish record scoreless streak posted by Iker Casillas across the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.
His play has been more than enough to hold off two accomplished challengers as Spain moves forward to the round of 16.
Raya is widely considered one of the world’s best goalkeepers after winning three consecutive Golden Glove awards at Arsenal for leading the Premier League in clean sheets. He also backstopped the Gunners to their first Premier League title since 2004 and the Champions League final this year 鈥� only to go back to a reserve role for Spain.
Garc铆a is one of the world’s top young talents at the position after seizing Barca’s starting job last season, but he’s also likely to spend this World Cup as a spectator.
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