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Simon's Shutout: Spain's Goalkeeper Shatters Records
19 Jul
Summary
- Unai Simon hasn't allowed a goal in six World Cup games.
- He broke Walter Zenga's 36-year-old scoreless minutes record.
- Simon's defense is the tournament's stingiest by a wide margin.
Spain's journey to the World Cup final is largely attributed to the exceptional goalkeeping of Unai Simon. He has achieved an astounding feat, preventing any goals from reaching Spain's net across six matches. This has established the team's defense as the most formidable in the tournament.
Simon's stellar performance includes breaking a 36-year-old World Cup record for consecutive scoreless minutes. His streak extended to 650 minutes, with Belgium finally scoring against Spain in the quarter-finals, the only goal conceded by the team throughout the competition.
The final itself is a historic event, featuring the champions of Europe and South America. It also marks the first time the top two teams in the FIFA rankings have met since the rankings were introduced in 1992.
Simon, a 29-year-old who has spent his entire senior career at Athletic Club, was Spain's primary goalkeeper for Euro 2024 and the 2023 UEFA Nations League. His consistent form earned him the Zamora Trophy as La Liga's best goalkeeper in 2023-24, despite competition from highly-rated peers at Arsenal and Barcelona.
